Exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism have always been an inexhaustible driving force for the deepening and development of China Africa relations, as well as an important part of China Africa exchanges and mutual learning and people to people connections. On November 7, before the opening of the 2023 China Africa Culture and Tourism Cooperation Forum, the special performance of "Wu Feng Grand Ceremony" Wu Opera was staged in Zhejiang China Wu Opera Theater. The Chinese and American Monkey Kings performed 18 kinds of martial arts in the excerpt "Golden Monkey Making Spring", and the African delegates were amazed by the inverted tiger, kicking in the sky and other martial arts skills in the excerpt "Lu Bu Testing the Horse"; The Nine section Dragon, adapted from the folk dragon dance, has an unpredictable shape. The elegant silk dance in the excerpt Tiannvsanhua also made the guests on the scene shout wonderful
On November 8, the achievement exhibition of the project "Qiaoyunfang - 2023 Creative Exchange of Chinese and African Wood Carving Artists" of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China's training base for Africa was set up at the 2023 China Africa Cultural and Tourism Cooperation Forum. The exhibition not only displayed the achievements of African artists' learning and creative exchange in Zhejiang, It also exhibited outstanding works of Dongyang wood carving artists, providing an excellent platform for Chinese and African artists to show and exchange.
In China Africa exchanges, Jinhua local opera Wu Opera has always been the "golden card" representing the excellent traditional Chinese culture. In September this year, Chen Meilan's new repertoire creation team of Zhejiang Wu Opera Art Research Institute, as a representative of the Chinese art troupe, set foot on a hot African land and started a Sino African art exchange trip. The joint visit of the cultural and tourism delegation and the economic and trade delegation not only received the applause of cultural exchanges, but also the performance of industrial cooperation.
"In recent years, we have constantly promoted 'Chinese culture goes to Africa, and African cultures converge in Zhejiang'. Art exchanges have also driven the development of China Africa tourism." Li Binfeng, vice mayor of Jinhua City, introduced that in 2018, Jinhua held the first China Africa Cultural Cooperation and Exchange Week. Since then, the "China Africa Night" Carnival, the Wu Opera Special Session of the China Africa Economic and Trade Forum, the China Africa Film Exhibition Cultural and tourism cooperation and exchange projects such as China Africa visual art exhibition, Africa Museum Open Week, students from overseas famous schools entering Jinhua ancient villages, and the "Golden World Clouds in Africa" cloud exhibition were held successively.
"The cultural and tourism industry is one of the powerful engines to promote economic development and employment." Rahmantara Osman, Permanent Representative of the AU Representative Office in China, believes that the cultural and tourism cooperation between China and Africa has great potential. He said, "Jinhua will jointly explore how to better protect natural and cultural heritage and develop tourism in a sustainable way through the creation of multiple Sino African cultural and tourism exchange platforms."
Tang Xiaoyun, vice president of the China Tourism Research Institute, said that in the development of tourism in China and Africa, Jinhua "not only exported tourists, but also exported Chinese experience and Chinese standards". At the same time, Jinhua has a unique advantage of "telling a good Chinese story" - Zhejiang is economically developed, and is an excellent narrator of modern Chinese stories. She said: "Jinhua's Hengdian Film and Television City and Yiwu Commodity City are both important platforms for international exchanges. They can combine business, tourism, science and technology, and cultural activities, link us with relevant industrial activities in Africa, and gather global attention."
"In the past 20 years, many universities and think tanks in Zhejiang have carried out rich exchanges with Africa, promoting local people to understand and like Africa, and also helping African people integrate into Zhejiang," said Liu Hongwu, president of the Institute of African Studies of Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang Normal University, with strong education and think tanks, is also an important support for Jinhua's exchanges and cooperation with Africa. As one of the national bases for African education, Zhejiang Normal University has trained many talents for African countries in the past 20 years.
It is worth mentioning that in September 2010 and May 2023, the Institute of African Studies of Zhejiang Normal University built the African Museum and the China Africa Exchange Museum respectively. "The African Museum is the first comprehensive museum to display African civilization in domestic universities, and is a 'three-dimensional textbook' to spread African culture." Liu Hongwu said frankly that the African Museum has collected more than 1000 African works of art, received more than 100000 visitors at home and abroad, and held more than 10 tours in Shanghai, Ningbo, Hangzhou and other cities, The museum popularizes African cultural and artistic knowledge for Chinese audiences, enables them to understand Africa, appreciate Africa, and love Africa, thus stimulating people's enthusiasm and demand for tourism and exchanges in Africa.
