The biggest-ever Chinese cultural festival, "Experience China in South Korea 2006", opened in Seoul Thursday.

 

In a letter of congratulations read out at the opening ceremony, Chinese President Hu Jintao said: "The (event) provides an important opportunity for the South Koreans to get close to China; to experience and understand China. It will play a positive role in boosting the traditional friendship between the two peoples and promote friendly cooperation between the two nations."

 

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun also expressed his congratulations in a letter, in which he said South Korea will further expand friendly cooperation with China. He also expressed his hope that the two nations could iron out differences, promote trust on the grounds of mutual respect and join efforts to create common peace and prosperity.

 

 

Cai Wu, minister of the Chinese Information Office of the State Council, said at the opening ceremony that he hopes the South Korean people will feel the Chinese people's desire to seek peaceful development and cooperation with other countries through the event.

Kim Chang-ho, minister of South Korea's Government Information Agency, and Chey Tae-won, president of the festival's sponsor, the SK Group, both expected the event to be a good opportunity for closer exchanges and deeper understanding between the two neighbors.

 

 

 

 

Following the opening ceremony, an exhibition of about 500 photos chronicling the 14-year relations between China and South Korea since 1992 was launched at the Olympic Park.

 

The cultural festival, jointly hosted by the Chinese Information Office of the State Council and South Korea's Government Information Agency, is the result of an agreement made by Hu and Roh during the APEC summit in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan last November.

 

During the 10-day event, about 300 Chinese will stage a variety of performances, including traditional Chinese music, Tibetan dance and martial arts displays.

 

Representatives from the two countries will also hold media and business forums during the event.

 

 

Hu Congratulates on Cultural Exchange in Seoul 

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2006)