SPRING FESTIVAL EVENT STRENGTHENS CHINA-ASEAN CULTURAL EXCHANGES

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- The "Steeds Herald Spring, Blessings Fill ASEAN" – Spring Festival @ ASEAN Headquarters 2026 was held at the ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, drawing more than 250 guests, including envoys from the 11 ASEAN member states and representatives from external partners.

The event, which marked the first time Chinese Spring Festival cultural activities were held at the ASEAN Headquarters, was hosted by the Information Office of the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Among those attending were senior officials from the ASEAN Secretariat, representatives of mainstream ASEAN media, local university faculty and students, and representatives of Chinese-funded enterprises, according to a statement.

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The event was held in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN and the fifth anniversary of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Guests gathered to celebrate the Year of the Horse, experience Chinese festive traditions and enjoy a series of cultural performances, including an opening dance segment linked to a classic excerpt from the Caidiao Opera.

A Chinese instrumental performance themed "Chinese Chic Performance for Celebrating the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse" featured erhu and suona, with arrangements of well-known music such as the theme from "Journey to the West" and "Black Myth: Wukong", converging into a "National Trend IP Music Festival".

During the event, Guangxi Daily, Guangxi Radio and Television, together with ASEAN media such as TVRI, El John TV, and Harian Inhua, jointly launched the China-ASEAN Spring Festival Short Video Exhibition Week.

The initiative uses short-form videos to showcase how communities in China and ASEAN countries celebrate the Spring Festival and aims to promote cross-cultural exchange through online participation.

On the same day, the "Spring Blessings for Success at the Year of the Horse" Chinese Spring Festival Cultural Exhibition and the "Instant Joy Market" Spring Festival Cultural Market were also held at the ASEAN headquarters.

Guests were also introduced to Guangxi’s artificial intelligence technologies, including intelligent translation devices and augmented-reality applications, allowing participants to experience immersive communication and explore the Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape.

-- BERNAMA