A 34-member Xishaungbanna singing and dancing troupe of China's Yunnan Province arrived here Sunday to begin its week-long visit to Myanmar under a cultural exchange program of the two countries.

During its visit, the Xishaungbanna troupe, led by Yang Jianming, vice-chairman of the Xishaungbanna People's Congress, will participate in Myanmar's five-day water festival due to start on Monday.

The water festival is held to greet Myanmar's traditional new year, which is falling on next Saturday.

The Xishaungbanna troupe will join water-throwing festive activities at some pandals in Yangon.

The troupe will also give special joint performance with Myanmar artists here next Friday, the last day of the water festival.

It is the second visit to Myanmar of the Xishaungbanna cultural troupe since April 1995 when it joined the same Myanmar festival.
 
(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2004)