Britain hosts online China tourism events

LONDON－Britain has launched the online Chinese culture and tourism promotion program, China Weeks: When Culture and Tourism Blend, offering Britons living amid the COVID-19 lockdown a closer look at Chinese culture from home.

The two-month program showcases a selection of literature, music and photography, specially designed for people who stay at, and work from, home.

Initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China in 2019, the program is hosted by the China National Tourist Office London, which uploaded the first videos last week to its social media accounts on WeChat, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

"With our brand-new content this year, we hope to offer you a closer look at, and a deeper understanding of, Chinese culture online and from home," says the office in a news release.

Highlights include Together, a joint production by Chinese and Italian musicians, which is "a touching moment with first-class music and artists" and "fully displays that music is the common language for musicians to join hands in fighting the pandemic".

Meanwhile, A Sunny Day, a 21-minute mini opera produced during the pandemic by the China National Opera House, portrays patients, doctors and the virus vividly in a Western operatic musical style.

A Primer of Beijing Opera combines a trinity of user-friendly guides for readers, listeners and viewers.

Must-sees also include the Our Silk Road exhibition. With over 60 shots selected from over 8,000 works by 330 photographers at the fifth World Photography Conference in Shandong province, the exhibition underscores the striking similarity among peoples and highlights the importance of enhancing understanding and appreciation across cultures.

A total of 20 China national tourist offices and 40 overseas Chinese-culture centers joined hands this year to host various events online during the outbreak.

Xinhua