Face-to-face exchanges and international connections between Chinese and European Union (EU) students will help forge strong ties of friendship, a Chinese ambassador has said.

Yang Yanyi, ambassador and head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, made the remarks Saturday in her speech to inaugurate a get-together between the Golden Sail National Orchestra of the High School attached to the Beijing-based Tsinghua University and the European School Brussels No. 2 here.

Jointly sponsored by the Chinese Mission to the EU and the European School Brussels No. 2, the event, a follow up to the Feb. 6 Chinese New Year Parade in Brussels, was part of Happy Chinese New Year celebrations across the globe.

"We are here to celebrate the Chinese lunar year, the Year of the Monkey. As the ninth of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, the monkey represents curiosity, intelligence, diligence, bonding and optimism. These traits are quite fitting for this coming year," Yang said in the Saturday speech.

"Face-to-face exchanges and international connections like today's will enable our young people to broaden their international horizon, and forge strong ties of friendship," she said.

Some 25 students of the Golden Sail National Orchestra, who were on a Europe tour, played pieces of traditional Chinese music, including Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger.

In follow-up sessions, the Orchestra members also introduced to their European peers the traditional Chinese musical instruments they are using, including erhu, a two-stringed bowed instrument, and suona horn, a woodwind instrument, among others.

Besides music, Chinese calligraphy, tea art, and Taiji, were also showcased and Chinese snacks were served during Saturday's event, which drew a 500-strong audience of students of the European schools in Brussels, their teachers and parents.

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