Chinese soprano Song Zuying holds the award she received from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday in Beijing.

China's Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng and Chinese soprano Song Zuying received gold art awards from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday.

Yangtze Evening Post reports that former Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Musicians' Association Jin Tielin attended the award ceremony in Beijing.

Chinese soprano Song Zuying held her first solo concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington on October 12 last year, gaining unanimous praise from the audience.

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is America's National Cultural Center, held in high regard around the world.

Many big names like Spanish tenor Placido Domingo, Hollywood director Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood have all been honored by the Kennedy Center for their lifetime of contributions to the arts and American culture.

President of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Michael M. Kaiser, said the honor was given to Sun Jiazheng in light of his leadership in promoting the communication of Chinese culture in the United States. For Song Zuying, it was because of the glamorous performance she bestowed upon the American people.

(CRI.cn May 24, 2007)