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Feature: "Chinese village" attraction in Belgian city of Liege

Xinhua, June 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

A "Chinese village", or a Chinatown, has opened to the public in the southeast Belgian city of Liege, as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Friendship between the Belgian province of Liege and the Chinese province of Fujian.

The village was set up on the Place Saint-Lambert in Liege city centre and included a market to discover the charms of the east as well as many activities which attracted local visitors, a Xinhua journalist reported on the scene.

Liege province spokesman Damien Dejardin said an estimated 200,000 visitors would come to the "Chinese village" in the four days that it is open.

Liege resident Didier Counotte told Xinhua: "I love Chinese cuisine, it's delicious, and I like watching the dragon dance. The martial arts demonstrations are impressive."

A delegation from Fujian, accompanied by more than 20 business leaders from the Chinese province, joined representatives from Liege province at the Chinatown inauguration on Thursday.

Katty Firquet, vice-president of Liege province in charge of external relations, said: "Until Sunday, Liege will have the chance to live a Mandarin way of life with cultural and sporting activities as well as food tastings."

Firquet has led two visits to China to strengthen links between China and Belgium, as part of the 30th anniversary of the partnership between the two provinces of the two sides.

She added: "This Chinatown is a showcase for Fujian province. A business forum will also be held to present the strengths of Liege province in terms of import and export, logistics and sustainable development."

Li Hong, head of the Chinese delegation and vice-director of Fujian province's external affairs bureau, said: "Fujian and Liege are 8,000 km apart, but such a distance does not stop us working together and cooperating with each other."

The four-day celebrations in the "Chinese village" feature products, concerts, cooking workshops, art exhibitions, parades in traditional costume and arts demonstrations. Endit