"Chinese Culture Enters ASEAN" activities held in Laos to promote bilateral cultural exchanges

By:  Xinhua News, April 4, 2017

A series of activities within the framework of "Chinese Culture Enters ASEAN" was held Tuesday in Lao capital Vientiane, drawing the participation of over 200 people from the cultural and educational sectors of China and Laos.

The event includes three parts, featuring book fair, painting and calligraphy exhibition as well as cultural lectures. Over 400 books highlighting Chinese culture, Chinese style and Chinese characters were chosen to display at the event, which was coorganized by Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' World Knowledge Publishing House, Chinese Culture Center in Laos, Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of China's Shandong Province and Shandong Provincial Department of Culture.

During the event, famous painters and calligraphers from China displayed their own works, and together with Lao artists performed painting, paper cutting, New Year wood painting, kite making, among other non-material cultural heritages.

Meanwhile, Chinese writer and international cultural exchange activist Yu Xi hosted a cultural lecture on oil paintings, helping Lao students learn more about meaning of Chinese art works, thus understanding more about Chinese culture.

Ma Fengchun, Director of World Knowledge Publishing House said at the opening ceremony that this event was held in cooperation with Shandong province, the hometown of Confucius. It is hoped that the activities will promote China's cultural characteristics, deepen China-Laos cultural exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples, as well as develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership for the common interests of the two peoples.

Head of the Department of International Cooperation under Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism said the event is expected to further strengthen the bilateral friendship and promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.

For his part, Provisional Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Laos Zhao Chenggang said China and Laos are embracing new opportunities within the framework of Belt and Road initiative, including people-to-people exchanges, among others. The event has created a new platform for cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN, as well as China and Laos.