Chinese artists stage in Cambodia to greet Mid-Autumn festival

Chinese artists in the Embrace China Art Troupe performed Chinese traditional dances, songs, martial arts and acrobatics on Wednesday evening with an aim to greet the upcoming lunar worship and to further enhance cultural ties between China and Cambodia, an organizer said.

The three-hour performance, held at the capital's Diamond Island Grand Theatre, attracted some 2,000 spectators. Among them are Ek Sam Ol, President of the Constitutional Council of Cambodia, Pung Kheav Se, advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo.

Chen Mai, head of the Embrace China Art Group of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, said the federation has dispatched 15 teams to various countries around the world to perform ahead of the Mid-Autumn festival.

"The free performance is to convey greetings and best wishes to overseas Chinese on the occasion and to promote Chinese culture to friendly countries," he said at the opening ceremony.

Chen said his group has begun a 3-nation performance tour on Aug. 14, starting from Indonesia, Malaysia and finally Cambodia.

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo said the event would further strengthen cultural ties between China and Cambodia.

"The show will promote China's glorious culture and arts to overseas Chinese and Cambodian people," she said. "I believe that it will create closer sentiment between Chinese and Cambodian people."

Duong Chhiv, president of the Chinese Association in Cambodia, expressed gratitude to the troupe for performing in Cambodia, noting that the performance was important to enhance people-to- people relations.

"It also clearly shows the Chinese government's attention to overseas Chinese," he said.