China-UK Year of Culture to be marked by music, dance

Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the UK, delivers a speech that marks the beginning of China Culture Season in the UK, which is part of the China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange.[Photo by Zhang Zhouxiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Renowned concert pianist Lang Lang, Dragon dancers and the People's Liberation Army Military Band are all part of a series of Chinese cultural activities to take place in Britain, said Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the UK, on Tuesday.

"As part of the China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange, the China Cultural Season will include many performances and events from August to December, bringing the cultural exchange to a new and high level," Liu said in a speech which marked the beginning of China Culture Season in the UK.

In August, the PLA Military Band will perform at the ancient Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and Chinese pianist Lang Lang is slated to give one of his flamboyant performances at the Edinburgh International Festival.

In addition, Zhejiang's Changxing Lotus Dragon Dance Folklore Group will make a first performance in Edinburgh and the National Theatre of Scotland and Tianjin Children's Art Theatre will jointly perform a drama named Dragon.

"Culture knows no border; exchanges see no finish line; geographic borders are no barrier to the cultural exchange between China and the UK," said Liu.

To promote exchange and cooperation between the two countries, the China Season includes a creative industry and cultural trade forum, a China-UK video clip festival, the Shenzhen-Edinburgh international creative industry incubation center, China Pavilion in London Design Festival and a Shanghai fashion show which will debut at the London Fashion Week.

Events will also include "Amazing China: 2015 Mobile Phone Photo Contest", a global competition jointly held by China Daily and Britain's Royal Photographic Society from August to November, which encourages tourists around the world to discover the beauty of China by sending in their photos for prizes.

"2015 is a big year for China-UK relations," Liu said, adding that it is called golden year and Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a visit to the UK in October.

This is the first China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange, said Xiang Xiaowei, cultural counselor of the Chinese embassy in the UK. During Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the UK in June 2014, the two countries agreed to set 2015 as a year of cultural exchange, with the first half being a UK Season in China and the second half being a China Season in the UK.

In March, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, visited China and launched the UK Cultural Season.

Rachel Ireland, regional head of Asia from the British Council, said the UK season which features a serious of events in forms of music, movie, and literature, has received a warm welcome in China during the past months.

"China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange will provide a platform for the people on both sides to share, to communicate and to deepen cooperation and promote mutual development in various fields," said Ambassador Liu.