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Chinese culture highlighted at S. Africa's Dias Festival

Xinhua, February 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Chinese culture was highlighted at the five-day Dias Festival which ended with much fanfare Sunday in the scenic coastal town of Mossel Bay, South Africa.

It was the second time that China sent a large delegation to the annual festival, but it was this year that the Chinese culture was featured prominently in the festival, said Wen Zheng, Cultural Attache in the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria.

The Chinese official said the city of Mossel Bay attached greater importance to the Chinese presence, which has seen rapid development of cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

He said this year's festival almost coincided with the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Monday, adding festive atmosphere to the event.

Hunan Arts Performing Troupe, sent by the Chinese Ministry of Culture to join the festival, took the opportunity to introduce the Chinese New Year of the Monkey to the audience.

Pin Liu, who heads the troupe, said he hoped the visit could boost bilateral cooperation between the two countries as well as the mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Mossel Bay City Mayor Marie Ferreira said the Chinese delegation presented a variety of performances to the much delight of the people in the city. She hoped that Chinese culture would become a trademark of the Dias Festival.

Cruise Santos, a local construction worker, told Xinhua that his family were excited to see the Chinese delegation's performance at the festival.

"It is a good opportunity for us to get a taste of the Chinese culture which is so colorful and diversified," he said.

The annual festival takes place in late January or early February every year to observe the Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias who headed an expedition to sail around the southern tip of Africa in the hope of finding a trade route to India.

Dias and his fleet eventually entered what he named Bay of Saint Blaise, which was later renamed Mossel Bay on Feb. 3, 1488.

In the spirit of "Where Cultures Meet", this year's festival offers a variety of events, including live shows, cultural concert, performance by China's Hunan Arts Troupe, motorsport gymkhana, and street parade, among others. Enditem