From Beijing to Nairobi: Fanlihua paper flower connects China and Africa

Made with just paper and wooden sticks, a fanlihua, or paper flip flower, transforms with a gentle twist, revealing playful shapes such as a Chinese dragon and an ice cream cone.

What happens when this traditional paper craft, an item of intangible cultural heritage from Beijing's Dongcheng district, travels thousands of miles to Kenya in East Africa?

This year marks the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. A small fanlihua is bringing people together in Beijing and Nairobi, blossoming into a symbol of friendship and cultural connection between China and Africa.

Shan Tianqing and Pei Tuo contributed to the story