China-EU ties mark 50 years with celebratory event

A "Jiangsu Week of the Grand Canal Culture in China" event is set to captivate audiences in Belgium and Croatia from Monday to Friday, commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the European Union.

The Jiangsu Week will leverage the Grand Canal as its universal cultural emblem to present the spiritual essence and contemporary significance of Chinese Grand Canal culture through a diverse array of main and ancillary activities.

The event aims to narrate the tale of the canal in the modern era, spotlight the unique facets of Chinese civilization and Jiangsu culture, foster cultural exchanges and deepen mutual understanding among peoples.

The curtain will rise on the Jiangsu Week with the opening ceremony scheduled for Tuesday in Brussels. A special exhibition about the canal will debut, showcasing historical, scenic, intangible cultural heritage and culinary dimensions.

The exhibition will feature a digital presentation of an "Epic Scroll of the Canal History," exhibiting Jiangsu's tourism assets and products, interactive showcases of Jiangsu's intangible cultural heritage and immersive experiences with local cuisine.

An integral component of the event, a cultural exhibition "Canal Intangible Cultural Heritage Blossoms in Europe" will dazzle audiences at the China Cultural Center in Brussels on Thursday.

The showcase will spotlight intangible heritage projects like Suzhou embroidery and paper-cutting from the canal, alongside a cultural salon for artists from China and Belgium to stimulate cultural exchange.

Wrapping up the week, a Chinese tea culture exhibition and experiential activity will unfold in Zagreb, Croatia's capital, on Friday.

Jiangsu, as the birthplace of China's Grand Canal and the leading province in the UNESCO World Heritage application, as well as the sole key construction area of the Grand Canal National Cultural Park, stands as a pivotal window to showcase Grand Canal culture on the global stage. The event is jointly organized by the Mission of the People's Republic of China to the European Union, the Information Office of the People's Government of Jiangsu province and the Jiangsu Provincial Association for External Cultural Exchange.