Reading Xi’an’s enduring vitality from the notes of Qinqiang Opera

XI’AN, China, Oct 2 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In September, the resonant notes of Qinqiang Opera cut through the rain over Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, bridging the past and present. From 8 to 10 September 2026, the 2026 “Qinqiang Opera, Resonating Across the World” Xi’an International Communication Event was held in the city, with media support from Global Times Online.

The event gathered young international content creators and international students from eight countries including Russia, France, Pakistan, Mexico and Nepal. They visited opera troupes, schools and online audiovisual creation sites, experiencing the living cultural pulse of this millennia-old ancient capital through this local opera art form. 

At Xi’an Yisu Society, founded in 1912, the young guests watched Qinqiang opera performances and learned the history of this century-old opera house. Guided by professional instructors, they tried on opera costumes, had traditional makeup applied and practiced stage movements.

Performers from the Shaanxi Opera Research Institute demonstrated the art’s basic techniques. Those seemingly simple glances, postures and vocal delivery all come from years of relentless daily training. 

On a school campus, they discovered another facet of Qinqiang opera. Children earnestly learned its vocal styles, weaving this ancient art naturally into their growth. Nepalese content creator Regmi Aksara remarked: “I used to think Qinqiang opera was something confined to history. This time I realized it is alive and unfolding right before our eyes.”

Beyond tradition, Xi’an keeps exploring innovative forms of cultural expression. At an online audiovisual creation base, the young guests experimented with digital technologies including VR and XR, and learned about production workflows for live-action short dramas and AI comic animations. From content creation to digital technologies, they witnessed fresh cultural practices taking root in Xi’an.

During their multi-day tour, these young visitors from different nations found that a city’s charm lies in its tangible, fleeting moments: a Qinqiang opera aria drifting through rain, a group of children earnestly learning opera, an immersive video experience, or a living story still unfolding.

It is these subtle details that have reshaped their perception of Xi’an, turning their stereotype of a time-honored ancient capital into a concrete, lively and living city.

From the time-honored opera house to campus classrooms, and from traditional opera art to digital creation, Xi’an’s cultural heritage endures in daily life and thrives through innovative new expressions. 

Contact Person: Zhou Xin
Email: zhouxin1@huanqiu.com
Website: https://english.huanqiu.com/

Photos accompanying:

SOURCE: Global Times Online

Dehua white porcelain, Songxi agricultural products shine at UN Building, Beijing

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Dehua white porcelain, Songxi agricultural products shine at the United Nations Building in Beijing in September.

FUZHOU, China, Sept. 30, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

In September, the IFAD-SSTC Marketplace on Agricultural Technology Innovation and Investment opened at the United Nations Building in Beijing. Hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the event aimed to build a targeted South-South cooperation platform to showcase China’s agricultural achievements and share replicable solutions. Over 120 participants attended, including diplomats from 17 embassies and representatives from seven UN agencies in China.

Dehua County, a mountainous county in southeast China’s Fujian Province, brought white porcelain works including Flourishing Flower Basket and Quanzhou Nanyin (a sculpture inspired by UNESCO-listed Nanyin music from Quanzhou, a historic port city in Fujian), alongside wild red mushrooms, alpine tea oil and Chinese yam. Nii Quaye-Kumah, IFAD Representative in China, said he was “deeply impressed” by the exquisite ceramic artistry. Julio Worman, IFAD analyst for Latin America and the Caribbean, inquired about porcelain-making techniques and watched a tea ceremony. “Despite vast cultural differences between East and West, there are striking similarities,” he said. “It was a wonderful tasting experience.”

Dehua, one of the birthplaces of Chinese ceramic culture, is a national white porcelain hub with over 4,000 enterprises generating 76 billion yuan (approx. £7.9 billion / $10.7 billion) annually. It is China’s largest producer and exporter of ceramic crafts, tea sets and planters. Dehua aims to share its porcelain’s beauty with a wider international audience.

Songxi County, a rural county in Nanping City and its sole county-level exhibitor, presented century-old sugarcane pastries, Huaqiao bitter bamboo shoots (a local variety named after Huaqiao Township), Jiulong white tea (literally “Nine-Dragon White Tea”), green tea, black tea and matcha. Ama Brandford-Arthur, IFAD Global Coordinator for South-South and Triangular Cooperation, said Songxi had successfully linked rare germplasm resources, traditional farming and modern branding to bring mountain produce to market, a model with valuable lessons for the Global South.

Wu Wei, Secretary of Songxi County, said the exhibition offered a vital opportunity to advance opening-up and deepen international agricultural cooperation. Songxi will use the platform to absorb advanced ideas, pool quality resources and drive industrial upgrading.

Nestled between Wuyi Mountain (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Baishanzu National Park, Songxi is home to a sugarcane planting system first established in 1727 during the Qing Dynasty, with the mother cane still sprouting after nearly 300 years. Local teas hold national geographical indication certifications, and the Songxi bamboo sugarcane cultivation system is recognised as a China Important Agricultural Heritage.

During the event, guests discussed cross-border agricultural trade, technology exchange and value-chain enhancement. Both stands emerged as the most-visited, broadening international visibility and injecting fresh momentum into China’s county-level speciality industries going global.

SOURCE: Publicity Department of the Dehua County Committee & Publicity Department of the Songxi County Committee

Asia-Pacific Media Forum Opens in Shenzhen, Expands Regional Media Cooperation

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SHENZHEN, China, Sept 7 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — The Asia-Pacific Media Forum opened in Shenzhen on Saturday, bringing together more than 400 representatives from over 220 media organizations, think tanks, government bodies, diplomatic missions, UN agencies and international organizations from 42 countries and regions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260906451669/en/ 

The forum, held under the theme “Building a Path to Shared Prosperity for the Asia-Pacific Community: Media Consensus and Action,” focused on strengthening regional media cooperation ahead of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which China is scheduled to host later this year.

Li Shulei, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. Huang Kunming, secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, also addressed participants.

The event resulted in several new cooperation mechanisms, including the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Organizing Committee, the signing and exchange of media cooperation documents, the launch of the “Gather in Shenzhen, Create a Better Asia-Pacific” Media Cooperation Initiative, and the release of the Shenzhen Consensus.

The Media Cooperation Initiative focuses on three areas: technology sharing, joint content production and professional training.

Under the technology pillar, Shenzhen plans to establish the Asia-Pacific Digital & Smart Media Intelligence Shenzhen Center to promote exchanges in digital media technologies, including artificial intelligence and the OpenHarmony ecosystem.

For content collaboration, the forum launched the “Witness Miracles, Seek Solutions” program, which invites media organizations from across the region to jointly develop and broadcast reporting projects using Shenzhen as one area of focus.

The initiative also includes a Training Base for Asia-Pacific Youth Media Professionals, which is expected to host media professionals, particularly those under 45, for study visits, exchanges and training programs.

The Shenzhen Consensus calls for greater regional cooperation in areas including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, green development, media exchange and multilateral trade, while encouraging greater dialogue and mutual understanding across the Asia-Pacific.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260906451669/en/

Contact

Contact: Albert Huang
E-mail: 1713543383@qq.com

Source : Guangdong Province

MALAYSIA WELCOMES FIRST MEDICAL TOURISM FAMILIARISATION TRIP FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS FROM UZBEKISTAN AND KAZAKHSTAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 (Bernama) — As demand for Malaysia’s healthcare services continues to grow across Central Asia, Malaysia is welcoming senior healthcare professionals from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for its first Medical Tourism Familiarisation Trip organised by Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) and Tourism Malaysia (TM), designed to deepen professional collaboration and expand referral opportunities between the regions. the initiative reflects the growing demand for Malaysian healthcare services across the region and aims to foster knowledge exchange and long-term partnerships between medical institutions in Malaysia and Central Asia.

From 3 to 10 August 2026, the programme brings together 16 distinguished healthcare professionals, including practicing physicians, professors and senior medical specialists from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, for an immersive study visit throughout the programme. Participants will gain first-hand insight into Malaysia’s internationally recognised healthcare ecosystem and integrated approach to healthcare travel.

During the week-long programme, the delegation will visit four of Malaysia’s leading private healthcare institutions including Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Prince Court Medical Centre, and Sunway Medical Centre. Participants will meet with hospital management teams, doctors and specialists to discuss clinical excellence, healthcare quality standards, international patient management and the practical aspects of delivering seamless care to international patients.

The initiative comes at a time of growing interest in Malaysia’s healthcare sector across Central Asia. In 2025, healthcare travel revenue from Kazakhstan increased by 29.4%, rising from approximately USD 400,000 to USD 520,000, while Uzbekistan recorded a 30.8% increase, growing from around USD 305,000 to USD 400,000. The consistent growth in both markets highlights the region’s rising importance as a source of international patients and reflects increasing confidence in Malaysia’s high-quality, internationally accredited healthcare services. Malaysia currently attracts around 1.84 million international patients each year, resulting in over USD 770 million in healthcare travel revenue annually. The country’s healthcare system includes over 90 partner hospitals and providers, delivering internationally recognized expertise in various fields such as cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, fertility treatments, and dentistry. 

Dato’ Suriaghandi said the familiarisation programme reflects MHTC’s commitment to building stronger professional relationships with healthcare communities in emerging markets while creating greater awareness of Malaysia’s healthcare capabilities among key medical decision-makers. He noted that healthcare professionals play an important role in influencing patients’ healthcare choices, making long-term engagement essential in strengthening Malaysia’s position as a preferred medical tourism destination.

“Trust is at the heart of every healthcare journey. By welcoming healthcare professionals to experience Malaysia’s healthcare ecosystem first-hand, we hope to foster meaningful relationships built on confidence, knowledge and shared commitment to patient care. That is the essence of Healing Meets Hospitality where clinical excellence is complemented by genuine compassion, creating a healthcare experience that patients can trust.” Dato’ Suriaghandi Suppiah, CEO of MHTC.

Beyond the professional visits, the delegation will also experience Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage through visits to Kuala Lumpur, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Melaka and Putrajaya. By combining world-class healthcare with renowned hospitality, modern infrastructure and diverse tourism experiences, Malaysia offers international patients a comprehensive healthcare travel journey that extends well beyond medical treatment.

Photo can be found in this link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15D6oZDyMxbpR4tLuADIe64hRM-LTX3V2?usp=drive_link

SOURCE: Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Muhammad Rasydan Ma’at
Head of Unit
PR and Media
Communications
Tel: +603 8776 6168
Email: rasydan.m@mhtc.org.my
 
Name: Mohamad Shahizam Fauzi                                                       
Head, Communications
Tel: +603 8776 6168                                                                                     
Email: shahizam.f@mhtc.org.my 

–BERNAMA

HIT CO-HOSTS CLIMATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, JOINTLY LAUNCHES INITIATIVE

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) — The second International Conference on Climate Leadership, held in Harbin from July 18 to 20, gathered more than 300 experts and scholars from 111 universities and research institutions across 23 countries and regions.

According to a statement, the three-day conference was co-hosted by the Business School, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL, and the Chinese Economic Association UK/Europe.

With representatives from international organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), businesses, and leading academic journals, participants explored cutting-edge developments and global practices in climate leadership, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global climate governance.

The Climate Leadership Initiative, jointly proposed by HIT and UNDP, was officially launched at the conference, highlighting the role of science, technology, and business disciplines in connecting climate technology innovation, business practices, and governance decision-making.

It calls for stronger collaboration among business schools, science and engineering faculties, research institutions, and enterprises, marking HIT’s significant step in leveraging its unique disciplinary strengths to help Chinese universities shift from participants to leaders in global climate governance.

In addition, the conference also featured a world-class academic lineup, with keynote speakers including fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, the European Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Distinguished experts also included a former deputy director of the Regional Cooperation Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an executive council member of the China Energy Research Society, and an assistant resident representative of UNDP in China.

Editors-in-chief from leading journals also gathered at the Journal Editors Session to discuss emerging trends, while five international organisations, namely UNDP, UNEP, WWF, WRI and CBI, participated extensively. UNDP also organised its first dedicated joint session, highlighting the conference’s international influence.

As a leading university integrating science, technology, and business education, HIT has built an international platform for collaboration. Through co-hosting the conference and launching the Climate Leadership Initiative, HIT demonstrated that Chinese universities can serve not only as participants, but also as agenda setters and drivers in global climate governance.

— BERNAMA