Also on stage will be the Chinese intangible cultural heritage of Kunqu Opera, one of the oldest forms of opera still existing in China and Beijing Opera. Some local operas will also be performed as a showcase of China’s efforts to preserve its ancient artistic legacies.

The 12th Asia Arts Festival kicked off in Chongqing , a city in southwest China, on Oct 10, 2011. Performers from more than 30 countries, regions and international organizations will be performing during the month-long festival.[Photo/Xinhua]

First held in 1998, the event focuses on the social problems that rattle every Chinese person today. For the 2nd Chongqing Youth Art Biennial this year, most of the 2,000 works give attention to the realities of today’s China, including the impact of urban expansion on farming, urban anxieties and the lives of migrant workers who drift from town to town in search of work.

The open gesture China shows represents its confidence in the international cultural exchanges as its economy continues to dazzle. As the world economic and cultural landscape continues to evolve, China has become aware of the significance of cultural promotion and launched a series of projects to inform the rest of the world of China’s achievements in economy, art and public culture.

The latest statistics from China’s Ministry of Culture reveals by Sep 2011, nine Chinese cultural centers are operating overseas and more than 3,000 artistic programs were held from 2003 to 2010.

The 12th Asia Arts Festival kicked off in Chongqing , a city in southwest China, on Oct 10, 2011. Performers from more than 30 countries, regions and international organizations will be performing during the month-long festival.[Photo/Xinhua]

Apart from performing art, the festival features high-level forums. The China and ASEAN (10+1) Cultural Ministerial Meeting was held in Chongqing to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue between China and the Association of Southwest Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“China and ASEAN countries should preserve their cultural identities while creating unity among diverse cultures,” said Sim Cim Guan, deputy secretary of Singapore's Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts and head of the Singapore delegation. “Ministerial meetings can help generate more common ground and showcase to the world what China and ASEAN can collectively present.”

In addition, with the launch of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) in 2010, the bilateral trade has been increasing rapidly. The trade volume between the two sides reached $117.12 billion by the first half of 2011, a 25 percent increase year on year. China now is the largest trading partner of ASEAN, while ASEAN has become the third largest trading partner in China.

By Xu Xinlei