A well-known acrobatic festival opens Saturday in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, attracting 25 circuses from 16 countries and regions.

Performers from China, Russia, France, the United States, Germany, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Spain and other countries and regions will present 31 repertoires during the 11th China Wuqiao International Circus Festival which will last for nine days from October 27 to November 4.

Better known as "Oriental Acrobatic Arena," the event, ranking among the world's three most important ones, was originated in 1987 and is held every other year.

With the theme of friendship, exchange, prosperity, development and meeting the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the festival this year was co-organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Hebei provincial government.

The programs of this festival including Russian State Circus Company's The Wheel of Death, Flying Trapeze from Pyongyang Acrobatic Troupe of the DPRK, Aerial Pas de Deux on Silk from France & Poland, Julie--Single Wheel of Canadian, and Love in Moonlight Night--Duo Acrobatics on Flying Ring from Flag Circus of China, etc, according to the organizing committee.

The performances on show contain various acrobatic skills and boast different cultural backgrounds and national styles which highlight the characteristics of the circus art, said Zhou Liangtian, vice director of the organizing committee of the event.

A world circus forum focusing on "How to create splendid acrobatic" and "How do foreigners think of Chinese circus" will be held during the festival.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2007)