Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The People’s Republic of China
The Foreign Ministry Organizes an Event for Diplomatic Envoys to China to Appreciate Peking Opera (a Quintessential Chinese Art Form) and Experience Intangible Cultural Heritage
Updated: March 16, 2023 23:00

On March 14, 2023, the Foreign Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, and the Xicheng District People’s Government invited diplomatic envoys to China to attend an event at Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center to appreciate Peking Opera, a quintessential Chinese art form, and experience intangible cultural heritage. Nearly 140 diplomats were present at the event, including 25 ambassadors and seven chargé d'affaires ad interim from such countries as Laos, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, the Czech Republic, Austria, Iceland, Uruguay, and Venezuela, five representatives of international organizations in China, and representatives of other 34 embassies (agencies) in China. Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying attended and addressed the event.

In her speech, Hua Chunying quoted President Xi Jinping that culture is the soul of a country and a nation. With a long history and rich cultural heritage, Beijing is the best window for diplomatic envoys to enjoy Chinese culture. Experiencing intangible cultural heritage and watching Peking Opera, a quintessential Chinese art form, will help diplomatic envoys develop a perception of Chinese civilization and understand contemporary China. Noting that the Two Sessions have just successfully concluded, Hua Chunying said the new Chinese government is forging ahead with enterprise in leading the Chinese people on the path of realizing Chinese modernization in all respects. Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. It calls for not only great material wealth but also staying confident and building strength on theoretical and cultural fronts. Likening civilizations and cultures to flowers, Hua Chunying said they only differ in color, with none of them being superior to the others. China is ready to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with other countries to share the diversity and beauty of human civilizations. Diplomatic envoys are welcome to participate in events organized by the Foreign Ministry to get a multi-dimensional and panoramic view of the real China.

The diplomatic envoys to China extended congratulations on the success of the Two Sessions. They said that the Chinese culture is colorful and the Peking Opera performance that night was wonderful. From the presentation of the quintessential Chinese art form and the intangible cultural heritage, they felt the profoundness and extensiveness of the Chinese culture, experienced Chinese people’s love for life and their vigorous creativity and outstanding artistic talent, and had a deeper understanding of Chinese civilization. They look forward to more opportunities to experience in person the charm of China’s fine traditional culture to a greater extent in the future, so as to gain a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of China.