Best of China Performing Arts - Special Celebration of 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year Successfully Held in Indonesia

As one of the major events of 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year, the Best of China Performing Arts - Special Celebration of 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year, co-organized by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Chinese Mission to ASEAN, and ASEAN Secretariat, was successfully held in Balai Kartini Building of Jakarta, Indonesia, from 18 to 22 August 2014. Among the attendees of the Opening and Closing ceremony were officials of the ASEAN Secretariat, diplomatic corps in Jakarta, international organizations, Indonesian high-ranking officials, local celebrities, media and think-tanks. At the opening ceremony on 18 August 2014, H.E. Mr. Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Mr. Zhang Aiping, Director-General of the Ministry of Culture of China, H.E. Mr. Suvat Chirapant, Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN, H.E. Mme.Yang Xiuping, Ambassador of the Mission of China to ASEAN, delivered their remarks. Mr. Zhang Aiping read the Congratulatory Letter from H.E. Mr. Cai Wu, Minister of Culture of China. At the closing on August 22, H.E. Dr. Mochtan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Mr. Ma Mingqiang, Secretary-General of ACC, H.E. Mr. Min Lwin, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to ASEAN, Mr. Wu Jinguan, Deputy Director-General of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, delivered their remarks.

At the opening and closing, the two fantastic shows with distinct artistic features, namely, "Taiji Grand Stage Show" and "Colorful China" were showcased respectively to ASEAN friends and were warmly received. Taiji Grand Stage Show proceeded along the line of the Tai Ji concept while integrating the quintessence of Chinese performing feats, such as Taiji Boxing, Wudang Kung Fu, Plum Blossom Piles, Energy Ball, Balance Bar, etc. Colorful China showcased the diversified arts and culture of Chinese ethnic minorities. Hui Dance "Flying Fans", "Colorful Muslin Girls", Dai Dance "Glamorous Peacocks", Ghijak solos Muqam and Czardas, Horse head fiddle solos Galloping Horses, Group performance of five ethnic music instruments "A Distant Place" appealed the audience. Indonesian folk song "Hometown" and music "Boat" which pushed the performance to the climax, received very warm applause and loud cheers.

At the opening ceremony, Secretary-General Le Luong Minh stated that ASEAN welcomed China's initiatives to enhance cooperation in the area of culture and keen to develop understanding of diversified culture of ASEAN's Dialogue Partners including China, so as to promote the development of bilateral partnership. Ambassador Yang Xiuping said China would continue to consolidate the social and public opinion as the basis of bilateral cooperation with ASEAN, and commended the cultural envoys for contributing to further advancing strategic partnership development between the two sides. At the closing ceremony, Deputy Secretary-General Mochtan said promoting China-ASEAN cultural exchange, deepening the mutual understanding and appreciating each other’s tradition would enhance people-to-people relations. Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang said cultural exchange activities between China and ASEAN standed at a new starting point and the bilateral cultural exchanges were in the ascendant through the Cultural Exchange Year was going to close. The relationship between the two sides was based on affection between the two peoples. He expected the similar cultural exchange could become everlasting activities between the China and ASEAN.

After the performances in Jakarta, ACC also organized the “Colorful China” China Ethnic Art Troupe in two other cities namely, Yogyakarta and Bandung. Yogyakarta is a cultural city, while Bandung is the city where the famous Asia-Africa Conference in 1955 was held. Two wonderful performances attracted thousands of audience and caused a sensation in the Indonesian cities. Some overseas Chinese said they were happy to see the remarkable economic achievements that China had obtained, and had the opportunity to appreciate the colorful Chinese traditional culture. One local Indonesian said the Chinese colorful and diversified culture was not only a good experience for reference, but more importantly, beneficial for promoting mutual understanding among the ethnic groups, facilitating people-to-people connectivity, and consolidating the friendship between the countries.