3rd Maritime Silk Road Int'l Arts Festival opens
- By Niu Jingjing
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E-mail China.org.cn, December 11, 2017
The Chinese city of Quanzhou, previously known as one of the four largest seaports for foreign trade in China, was enriched by the ancient Maritime Silk Road. This year marks the third time for the city to hold the Maritime Silk Road International Arts Festival, which opened on December 10.
The five-day international arts festival began with a gala titled "To the Ocean" at the Channel Sports Centre in Quanzhou, Fujian. It features art delegates and troupes from over 31 countries and regions along the Maritime Silk Road.
Composed of eleven programs, the large-scale show used both visuals and audio to highlight the unique local features of the Maritime Silk Road, and displayed the part Quanzhou plays in China and the world, as well as its image in the new era.
Quanzhou is the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Since ancient times it has developed and thrived because of its proximity to the sea.
In the Song (960 -1279) and Yuan Dynasties (1271-1368), the "Zayton Port" (Ancient Quanzhou) was known as "the largest Oriental Port," witnessing businessmen from over 100 countries and regions, and enjoying a boom in trade with markets full of customers and merchants from around the world flooding in.
Currently, the "Historic Monuments and Sites of Ancient Quanzhou" has been submitted to the UNESCO as a candidate for World Cultural Heritage.
In recent years, progress has been made in the economic and social development of this city. In 2016, the city’s GDP amounted to 664.7 billion yuan(US$ 100.5 billion), and per capita GDP reached 77,000 yuan(US$11,648). The general public budget revenue was 77 billion yuan(US$11.6 billion) and the per capita disposable income of residents was 30,855 yuan(US$4,667).
"This is a great time and chance to introduce my ancient city and new city to the world. I am so proud to be part of it," said Miss. Xu, a local who performed during the festival.
El Horrya Folk Troupe from Egypt was invited to give a special dance show during the gala. One of its performers said it was their first time to come to China, and that the visit had helped him to see that China is a great power in the world. "The word 'affluent' can't completely describe the country."
Following the opening ceremony and gala, the Maritime Silk Road Forum on Arts Development, the Maritime Silk Road Cultural Heritage Exhibition and 2017 China-CEEC Cultural Season will be held along with some other regional events over the next four days.
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