VALLETTA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A "Happy Chinese New Year" concert captivated an audience of approximately 500 at the University of Malta Sunday night, fostering a closer bond between China and Malta.

In celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year, the coming "the Year of the Dragon" on Feb. 10, artists from the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre of South China's Guangdong Province treated the audience with such iconic Chinese songs as "Meet at the Aobao," "Jasmine Flower," and "My Motherland."

The troupe also concluded their show with Maltese folklore "Festa." The performance skillfully presented by the Chinese artists accompanied by traditional Chinese instruments won resounding applause.

Chinese Ambassador to Malta Yu Dunhai told the audience that the Spring Festival is "a time of reunion with families, a time to celebrate friendship, and a time to reflect on the past and look into the future."

Noting that the year 2023 witnessed a strong momentum in China-Malta relations, Yu said "Our political mutual trust has been consolidated."

"China and Malta have maintained active exchanges in various fields and at all levels," he said, underscoring the fruitful practical cooperation and the rich cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Going forward, "we stand ready to work together with Malta to consolidate our time-honored friendship, share development opportunities and bring our bilateral relations to a new height," Yu noted.

Minister for Malta's National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government Owen Bonnici lauded the concert as amazing, expressing the profound experience of listening to Maltese music played with Chinese instruments.

Affirming the fantastic relationship between China and Malta, Bonnici said cultural exchanges have made the distance between the two countries, though geographically far apart, seem "zero," while expressing the belief that their ties will be strengthened in the future.

Reno Calleja, president of the Malta China Friendship Society, told Xinhua that the audience was especially moved by the last song, a Maltese popular folklore "Festa."

Martin Azzopardi, a science teacher and founder of China Corner at St. Margaret College Secondary School in Cospicua, recorded the entire concert with his mobile phone. Deeply enamored with Chinese culture, he emphasized the importance of cultural exchanges and people-to-people understanding between Malta and China.

As a teacher, "it's always my dream to invite my students to appreciate more Chinese culture as there's lots to learn from each other," he told Xinhua.

Joe Dimech, a retired Maltese journalist, expressed his anticipation of visiting China one day. "I'm sure we're going to strengthen our relationships," especially in fields such as culture, foreign affairs and politics, he said.

The concert event was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Malta, and organized by the China Cultural Centre in Malta and the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports. Enditem

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