As an inseparable part of the 2006 Guangdong International Tourism and Culture Festival, the 2006 China (Jiangmen) Overseas Chinese Carnival and Hometown Tour Festival attracted thousands of overseas Chinese with ancestral roots in Jiangmen.

 

The 2006 China (Jiangmen) Overseas Chinese Carnival and Hometown Tour Festival, held from November 25 to 27, was jointly organized by the Guangdong Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, Guangdong Provincial Tourism Administration, Guangdong Overseas Exchange Association and the municipal government of Jiangmen.

 

Eye-catching events of the carnival included a grand carnival pageant by domestic and overseas folk performers during the opening ceremony and evening parties at several squares of the city, which consisted of Chinese dragon dances and folk performances and choruses of the citizens.

 

Diversified tourism and cultural festivals organized by different subordinate districts and cities under the administrative jurisdiction of Jiangmen were equally exciting. They showed off their unique tourism resources including Xinhui's sunflowers, Taishan's rural ecological resources, Kaiping's Diaolou (military watchtowers) culture, Heshan's scenic attractions and delicacies, as well as Enping's hot spring resources.

 

"The gala is a good platform for cultural exchanges between Jiangmen and the overseas Chinese of Jiangmen origin and is a golden opportunity for overseas Chinese of Jiangmen origin to witness the social, economic, and cultural developments of their ancestral hometown," said Chen Jixing, Party secretary of Jiangmen.

 

Heads of over 100 overseas Chinese societies from over 20 countries and regions and 1,000 overseas Chinese representatives attended the Jiangmen carnival and hometown tour festival.

 

Official statistics indicate that there are 3.80 million overseas Chinese of Jiangmen origin. They live in 107 countries and regions. The number makes up 10 per cent of the total number of overseas Chinese worldwide.

 

And Jiangmen has forged very close relationships with about 800 overseas Chinese societies.

 

At a press conference on the Jiangmen carnival and hometown tour festival, Huang Yuesheng, vice-mayor of Jiangmen, said the city's initiative to invite overseas Chinese representatives back to the carnival is meaningful as overseas Chinese of later generations, living in an absolutely different culture, are less acquainted with Chinese culture and their familiarity with the Chinese culture would not be as strong as their ancestors.

 

He said that Jiangmen has benefited handsomely from close relationships with overseas Chinese of Jiangmen origin, whose donations have surpassed 5 billion yuan (US$616.52 million) and whose investments in Jiangmen have reached US$3.60 billion.

 

"They have also made great efforts to promote the investment climate of Jiangmen and to find markets for Jiangmen's products," the official added.

 

Other events

 

Other key events that have supplemented the 2006 Guangdong International Tourism and Culture Festival include the creation of a Sino-Canadian landscape project and the 10th anniversary of the foundation of the "Exception" Fashion, a well-known fashion supplier based in Guangzhou.

 

As a symbolic living monument to honor the long-standing friendship between the two sister provinces of Guangdong and British Columbia of Canada, the Guangdong-British Columbia Pacific Gateway Park, broke new ground in Guangzhou's Zhujiang Park on November 24.

 

The project involves an initial investment of over 1.70 million yuan (US$209,618) from British Columbia and covers an area of 10,000 square meters, capitalizing on Canada Wood's technical experience in wood materials and construction and Guangzhou's design expertise.

 

And the display of "Exception" Fashions, a catwalk show and drum performances by a renowned drum troupe from north China's Shanxi Province during the grand ceremony celebrating the 10th birthday of "Exception" on November 25 were highlights of the Guangdong International Tourism and Culture Festival.

 

(China Daily November 29, 2006)