Feature: Chinese New Year celebration in Kuwait offers chances to know Chinese culture

KUWAIT CITY, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- "I love Chinese food and I would like to go back to China again," said Kuwait Television director Ahmad Alhomoud on Saturday at a Chinese New Year's celebration held in Kuwait.

Alhomoud has attended the annual celebration for more than twenty years. He believes the event helps Kuwaitis better understand Chinese culture.

Hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait in collaboration with the Association of Chinese Companies in Kuwait, the celebration gathers representatives of Chinese enterprises in Kuwait, Chinese students and Chinese citizens living in Kuwait.

Dozens of employees of Chinese companies and Chinese students performed Chinese songs, traditional dances and martial arts to celebrate the Chinese New Year of 2018.

"I am so happy to be here tonight, it is really amazing to watch the Chinese martial arts," Alhomoud said.

Alhomoud had been in China on a business trip for two weeks last year. "I went to Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai and tasted different Chinese food, what I like most -- fried prawns," he said with a smile.

"Chinese food is very popular in Kuwait, as a part of traditional culture Chinese cooking helps us know your country," he told Xinhua.

Fayez Shalaan, media advisor of Kuwaiti International Parliament of States For Safety and Peace, had been to China for four times.

"I went to Beijing and Shanghai as a tourist. Chinese calligraphy, acrobatics and lion dances gave me a very deep impression," he said.

"I like Chinese culture very much, especially the traditional Chinese snacks. In Kuwait spring roll is very famous food, you can find it in supermarkets and local restaurants," Fayez Shalaan said, pointing at the spring roll, served at the celebration.

"I know spring roll has a long history, Chinese always eat it during the Spring Festival," said Fayez Shalaan, hoping Kuwait and China would continue strengthening cultural exchanges and deepening the understanding and communication between the two peoples.

The Belt and Road Initiative, first put forward in 2013 by China, gives a full play to the role of cultural exchange in an effort to enhance all-round cooperation among countries along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In a speech at the celebration, Wang Di, the Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait, said that China and Kuwait have signed cooperation agreement in the field of culture, and Chinese performing art organizations, invited in 2017 to Kuwait, brought Kuwaitis opportunity to fully feel the charm of China's traditions and culture.

"I hope within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Kuwait and China would seize the opportunity to promote mutual beneficial cooperation and strengthen our cultural communication," said Alhomoud.

"In 2018, we will further integrate the initiative with Kuwaiti development strategy, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and maintain close cultural exchanges," said the Chinese ambassador.

"I hope that the celebration here would promote mutual understanding and friendship between people in China and Kuwait," said the ambassador. Enditem