Feature: Chinese, U.S. cultures different but not distant

The Chinese and U.S. cultures are different but not distant, a Chinese institute said Tuesday in an advertising video shown on a big screen at Times Square here.

The video posted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries on Tuesday artistically features the most attractive parts of the Chinese and American cultures.

Americans are fascinated by Chinese calligraphy, tea ceremony and Beijing Opera, while the Chinese are obsessed with U.S. dancing and chess games, according to the video.

"It is such a beautiful video," Alice Miller, a thirty-year-old woman from Florida, told Xinhua.

The two countries' cultures have tended to blend in recent years, and such blending of cultures benefits not only the two nations but also the world as a whole.

"My cousin is studying Chinese in Beijing. I have never been to China, but I've been to New York's Chinatown," Miller said. "China has a long historical and cultural tradition, and the United States is very different. We need to know more about China."

Chetsao Huang, a professor at New York University, said that the movie's show time and location are perfect. The video highlighted exchanges between China and the United States on different levels, and helped Americans better understand the Chinese culture.

Many Americans are eager to explore Chinese culture these days. The video will help people from both nations gain a better understanding of each other and enhance trust between them.

"The video is very special," Brook Cook, a 40-year-old New York resident, told Xinhua. He said the movie highlighted the positive ties between China and the United States.

"I wish I could just be like them in the movie, learning Chinese Kung Fu and tea ceremony," Cook said. "I have never been to China, but perhaps I will go there in the future." Endi