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)