VALLETTA, May 9 -- The Garden of Serenity, a traditional Chinese garden which is situated in Santa Lucija in the south of Malta, reopened to the public as its completion and handover ceremony of renovation project launched on Friday.

Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat, Chinese Ambassador to Malta Cai Jinbiao attended the ceremony.

Addressing the event, Muscat said the relations between China and Malta over the past 42 years have always been strong.

"I believe that we are going to new heights (on bilateral ties)," the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Cai said since it was first built in 1997 as a gift from the Chinese government, the Garden of Serenity has long been seeing as a symbol of China-Malta friendship.

Featuring classic Chinese gardening and architectures, the garden has become a well-known and popular scenic spot in Malta, visited and loved by many locals as well as international tourists.

Mayor of Santa Lucija Frederick Cutajar told Xinhua that the garden of Serenity will be open free for the public, but to make profit through tea rooms and other services provide inside the garden.

With 670 square meters in bulding area and covering a total of 8,000 square meters, the garden showcases the arts and traditional Chinese architectures and designs, and is an ideal venue for cultural activities.