As the guest country of the festival, China's culture is being showcased throughout the week.[Photo/Xinhua]

The International Nao Festival of Acapulco kicked off about 380 km south of Mexico city over the weekend with a performance of Peking Opera inaugurating the weeklong event.

It is the 10th edition of the cultural festival in the Pacific coast resort, whose ties to China go back around 450 years to the famous China Galleon, or La Nao de China, which had for centuries sailed between the port city and the Far East.

As the guest country of the festival, China's culture is being showcased throughout the week.

Peking opera performance from China's southwest province of Guizhou, for example, will stage its production of "Don Quixote," the classic by great Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes.

"We have tradition here, we have culture here," Acapulco Mayor Evodio Velazquez said during the opening ceremony on Saturday night, adding that "there are many ties connecting us to Asian countries and Asian traditions."

The ceremony was held at Acapulco's historical San Diego Fort, which was decked with red Chinese lanterns and multicolored parasols. The fort dates back to the 17th century.

"To speak of the China Galleon is to speak of one of Acapulco's historical eras," the mayor said.