Being away from their hometowns hasn’t been an excuse for Shenzhen’s foreign residents to ignore tomorrow’s Mid-autumn Festival symbolizing family reunions.

Residents at Jingshan Villas and Fraser Place in Shekou celebrated the festival Friday evening. Zhang Xu, a PR officer for Fraser Place, said some 120 residents from more than 17 countries took part in the celebration.

“Guests were treated to a reunion banquet and traditional Chinese performances such as kung fu,” he said.

Joseph Keith Hall, a ship’s captain from Mississippi, the United States, who has spent five mid-autumn festivals in Shenzhen, said the festival is similar to Thanksgiving Day in his country.

“My friends and I went to Nanshan Park to appreciate the full moon last year,” he said, saying that he plans to stay at home and enjoy moon cakes with his girlfriend tomorrow.

A South Korean student identified as Pak said South Koreans also mark the festival and her family will go to the beach to mark the day this year.

Also on Friday, more than 300 foreigners and their families from Shenzhen’s major international companies were treated to a party at Splendid China · China Folk Culture Villages.They were treated to moon cakes and performances.

In a separate event at Meilinyicun real estate last night, tens of foreign residents also joined the city’s biggest community’s annual Mid-autumn Festival party.

Foreigners are also invited to two more large celebrations to be held tomorrow night at Honey Lake in Futian District and Happy Valley in the Overseas Chinese Town, Nanshan.

Taiwanese pop singers A-mei and Samuel Tai Zhengxiao will perform in Happy Valley. Live performances in Sha Tin in Hong Kong and Hsinchu in Taiwan will be shown at the three-hour party.

(Shenzhen Daily September 24, 2007)