国内英语新闻:Cultural exchange deepens ASEAN-China mutual understanding

JAKARTA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral cultural exchange between ASEAN and China has grew fast and played important roles in deepening the mutual understanding and friendship, ASEAN deputy Secretary General for Community and Corporate Affairs AKP Mochtan said here on Friday.

Praising the successful cultural shows by the Chinese performing art troupes at the special celebration of the 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year here, Mochtan said at the closing ceremony that the promotion of cultural exchange is critical for people to people connectivity and the ASEAN-China relations.

Last October, the 16th China-ASEAN Summit proposed 2014 as the China-ASEAN Cultural Exchange Year. To complement the celebration, the Chinese government specially presented two shows in Indonesia, the "Taiji Grand Stage Show" and "Colorful China" which featured a Kung Fu drama integrating Chinese feats and a brilliant ethnic song, dance and musical instruments performance.

The three-day performance on Monday, Tuesday and Friday had attracted thousands of visitors, including ambassadors and diplomats to ASEAN, Indonesian officials, business people and representatives of local Chinese communities.

Ma Mingqiang, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Center, an inter- governmental organization jointly founded by ASEAN and China in 2011 to facilitate ASEAN-China trade, investment, tourism, education and culture cooperation, said culture is very important as it lays foundations for the relations between states.

"I do hope all people here would have a better understanding of the bilateral relations between China and ASEAN which is far more strategic after the show," Ma said.

Ma noted that the 2014 China-ASEAN Cultural Exchange Year will not end by the end of this year. The cultural exchange between China and ASEAN is a lasting event.

Following a successful opening in Beijing in April this year, the 2014 China-ASEAN Cultural Exchange Year will be closed in November in Myanmar, which is the chair of the ASEAN.