'Happy Chinese New Year' celebrations kick off in US

An art exhibition in the San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday marked the opening of the 2020 "Happy Chinese New Year" program, aimed at sharing traditional Chinese New Year traditions with the world.

The exhibition, entitled Voice of Spring, consists of more than 50 paintings by artists from the US, China and Britain.

The artworks, all featuring flowers, will be on display till Tuesday at the Silicon Valley Asian Art Center in Santa Clara, California, before traveling to Las Vegas.

"This exhibition marks the official launch of the 'Happy Chinese New Year' celebrations in the Bay Area. A total of 25 events will be held in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle and Portland during January and February," said Zhai Deyu, cultural counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, at the opening of the exhibition on Sunday.

Zhai said it's important to promote cultural exchanges between different countries, as it is these exchanges that help enrich the world.

"Art has no borders. People's lives will become more colorful through art which all people can understand, even if they speak different languages," said Zhai.

The five artists whose works are on exhibition represent diverse styles but all share their appreciation for nature, said Shu Jianhua, director of the Silicon Valley Asia Art Center.

Their works, which integrate the traditional Chinese painting style with Western techniques, will help overseas audiences better understand Chinese art and culture, Shu said.

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on Jan 25 this year. The "Happy Chinese New Year" global celebration, a series of cultural events marking the Spring Festival worldwide, was launched in 2010 to promote cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

Last year, the "Happy Chinese New Year" events were held in about 400 cities in over 130 countries.