Mexico City, China multiplying cultural ties: culture chief

Xinhua News Agency

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Mexico City and China are multiplying their links in order to share their millennial and modern cultures, said Eduardo Vazquez, the city's secretary of culture, in an interview with Xinhua.

"Trade and investment are important, but we cannot leave aside culture. Socializing, communicating, recognizing what we have in common, and learning from each other is also crucial," said Vazquez.

"I believe Chinese culture is worth getting to know fully, given its deep richness. We have numerous contact points and spaces to discover each other," explained Vazquez. "It is vital to continue growing closer to China, given its capacity to build cultural expressions, based in our mutually deep roots and our contemporary vision."

He pointed to one example of such cultural exchanges in China's participation in the 2016 Fair of Friendly Cultures (FCA), which counted on the presence of 93 countries and concluded on June 5 in Mexico City, having received around 3.5 million visitors.

China's activities during the FCA began on May 21 with a calligraphy workshop, given at the Confucius Institute in Mexico City and closed on June 5 with a conference on traditional Chinese medicine at Mexico City's National Cultures Museum.

Visitors to the FCA were also able to take in diverse artistic showcases put on by the Shanghai Theater Academy, one of China's most renowned performing arts institutions.

This culminated on June 3, with a spectacular performance at Mexico City's Esperanza Iris Theater.

"I believe this show gave us the ability to grow closer to China's traditions, beauty and customs through contemporary music and dance," Vazquez told Xinhua.

(APD)