Festival of China, the largest exhibition of Chinese culture in the US history, will be held this October. It is a grand cultural activity between Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the US in Sept. and US President Bush's visit to China in Nov.

China's Ministry of Culture announced in Beijing today that it would team up with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to hold the one-month Festival of China in Washington D.C.

During the festival, sponsored by US's Viacom Inc., Culture Minister Sun Jiazhen will deliver a speech with the theme of Chinese culture to US mainstream press and cultural circles and answer their questions in the US National Press Club during the festival.

Other activities encompass a ceremony for China's presenting frescos to the Kennedy Center, Beijing Cultural Week, artistic performances staged by 13 Chinese troupes such as China National Peking Opera Company, Beijing People's Art Theatre and National Ballet of China, display of terra cotta statuary at Emperor Qin's tomb, contemporary out-door equipment and sculpture exhibition, small-scale contemporary movie display, etc.

China will send over 700 people to participate in the festival.

The Festival of China will also show performances and works of troupes from Hong Kong and Taiwan, of Chinese artists living in the US, and of troupes of American Chinese.

A total of 24 performances, consisting of 36 scenes, will be staged and eight visual artistic exhibitions will be held, embodying essence of Chinese culture and representing the highest level of China's contemporary arts.

According to preliminary estimate, nearly 400,000 visitors will enjoy artistic performances and exhibitions held in Washington DC in person and another one million US audience will have understanding of Chinese culture through live broadcast and internet.

(Chinanews.cn September 2, 2005)