China is to host the 6th World Choir Games in 2010 in the eastern city of Shaoxing, the organizing committee said in Beijing on Friday.

The 12-day gathering, to be held in the ancient city of Zhejiang Province, will feature more than 500 performances, concerts and lectures.

"We hope participants will comprehend the spirit of harmony and equality through the bi-yearly competition. Hopefully, this event will have some interaction with the 2010 World Expo to be held in neighboring Shanghai," said Cheng Changxing, Shaoxing publicity department director.

In 2006, the 4th World Choir Games was held in Xiamen, Fujian Province.

The 2008 World Choir Games will be held in Graz of Austria. So far, about 400 ensembles from 90 nations have registered to attend the competition, an event likely to become the largest in the history of choir music.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2008)