Feature: Spring Festival in full swing throughout E. France

he Spring Festival is being celebrated this year in all of the major cities of eastern France, from Strasbourg to Metz via Nancy, Colmar and Mulhouse: a result of China's cultivation of close and fruitful relations with the region.

Chinese consular officials, the Confucius Institute, the Association of Researchers and Students from China, the Franco-Chinese Friendship Associations, and "Arts East" organized a range of festivals and cultural events throughout eastern France to celebrate the start of the Year of the Monkey.

The Consul General of China, He Yanjun, kicked off the festivities in Strasbourg at a reception on Wednesday which attracted over 400 guests. He praised the ties between China and France.

"Last year, the country's two Heads of State as well as their Prime Ministers took part in official visits. In the Alsace region, the number of Chinese tourists increased by 30 percent, and the people of Beijing were also able to discover the famous Strasbourg Christmas market," the Consul General said, stressing that "overseas Chinese in France, together with French friends, contributed to their friendship and cooperation between China and France."

This year the many festivities to mark the Chinese New Year across the region demonstrate the strength of Sino-French relations. In Mulhouse, a city with close relations to Jining (Shandong) and Zhenjiang (Jiangsu), the French city's exhibition center will welcome numerous cultural events on Sunday, including the Dance of the Unicorn, a tea ceremony, a parade in traditional costumes, workshops and family games, alongside demonstrations on gastronomy and tourism. The annual event is expected to attract some 20,000 visitors over three days.

Moreover, for the first time a concert of Chaozhou instrumental music will be given at the Theatre de la Sinne in Mulhouse on Feb. 15. The concert is organized by the Chinese Consulate in partnership with the city of Mulhouse, China Cultural Center in Paris, the famous "Shenzhen Art Troupe", the city of Shenzhen, and "Arts East," which is directed by dancer Zong Miao.

"The ALCA region is home to some 3,500 Chinese nationals and 4,000 Chinese students," said Zong Miao, who has lived in Mulhouse for 11 years. "Our mission is not only to meet the Chinese in the region but also to meet people and share our cultures. Art, thanks to its universal character, has no boundaries and allows us to know each other better. The Chinese New year always generates interest in China across France. It's a great opportunity to discover China."

In Metz, on Feb. 6, songs and traditional musical instruments resounded in the city hall where guests also visited a number of events. These included "The Chinese Dream: scenes of everyday life 1900-2014," an exhibition of photos, sponsored by Xinhua in association with the Carrousel du Louvre, depicting the daily lives of the Chinese people over the past 115 years and how those lives have been transformed.

In Nancy, Li Fengyu, president of the Association of Chinese in Lorraine, in partnership with the China Cultural Center of Nancy, staged concerts on Feb. 6 featuring traditional Chinese instruments, demonstrations of calligraphy, painting and Mahjong, and exhibitions of paintings and photos. Endit