Opening Ceremony of China Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur
On January 19, 2020, the China Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur (CCCKL) was officially inaugurated in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. On the occasion of the opening of the “Malaysia China Cultural And Tourism Year“, the establishment of China Cultural Centre had heralded in a new page on enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries, deepening practical cooperation in culture and tourism, and promoting the development of friendly relations between China and Malaysia.
Hon. Zhang Xu,Vice Minister of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, Hon. Ba Tian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of The People’s Republic of China to Malaysia, Mr Yean Yoke Heng & Ms Saraya Arbi, Deputy Secretaries-general of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia (MoTAC) as well as luminaries of Malaysian political, business, cultural and tourism, education, local Chinese community, media and leaders of other sectors, friendly fraternity and representatives of Chinese-funded enterprises numbering more than hundred people attended the inauguration ceremony.
In his speech, Hon. Vice Minister Zhang Xu recalled the deep ties and friendship between China and Malaysia from the Han and Tang dynasties to the Ming dynasty, to modern times for thousands of years. He said that the establishment of the China Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur was not only a concrete measure to materialize the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, but also some significant outcome in the development of friendly relations between China and Malaysia of the new era. It further marked a new stage of exchanges between China and Malaysia in the field of humanities. He hoped that China Cultural Centre would become a new window for Malaysian friends to understand China’s excellent traditional culture, appreciate the vitality of contemporary China’s development, better serve the pursuit of the “Belt and Road” initiative, and create a better atmosphere for promoting mutually beneficial “win-win” development between China and Malaysia, China and ASEAN countries.
Deputy Secretary-general Mr Yean Yoke Heng, on behalf of MoTAC Hon. Minister Mohammadin Ketapi attended and read out the minister’s letter of congratulation. He said that the year of cultural tourism between China and Malaysia in 2020 would be a new milestone in promoting bilateral relations and moving towards active and substantive cooperation between the two countries. The setting up of the China Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur would not only promote more cultural exchange activities between the two countries in the future, strengthen relations between the two countries, but also mutually benefit the two peoples to become an important locomotive in enhancing cultural exchange and friendship between the two countries.
During the inauguration event, guests from both sides watched a wonderful performance jointly presented by the China Conservatory and HANDS Percussion Malaysia. Chinese and Malaysian artists collaborated to perform “jin gong hua (golden chrysanthemum) and Jasmine”, “Song of Joy”, “Spring River Moonlight” and “Vibration of Soul” and other tracks, thereby integrating traditional Chinese folk music with Malaysian Gamelan art that reflected the harmonious fusion of diverse and inclusive Malaysian and Chinese cultures imbued with groundbreaking, artistic and ornamentally watchable characteristics.
To coincide with the opening of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur, China National Academy of Painting was specially invited to curate its collection of “Chinese Imagery – Exhibition of Art Collection of China National Academy of Painting”, showcasing the 41 most representative artists in the fields of landscape, flowers and birds, portrait painting and calligraphy of the National Academy of Painting. Guests from both countries watched the exhibition with great interest and experienced the unique charm of Chinese ink art up close. The artists also wielded their brushes and splashed the ink in situ and interacted with the guests.
China Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur was incorporated in 2018 in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the governments of China and Malaysia on the establishment of a Chinese cultural centre in Malaysia. China Cultural Centre is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok Bank building with a total area of about 1200 square meters, including foyer, exhibition hall, library, multi-purpose classrooms, meeting rooms and other areas. Adhering to the objectives of quality, universality, friendship and cooperation, China Cultural Centre is committed to becoming a platform and link for the Malaysian public to understand China and recognize China through the basic functions of national conditions, cultural activities, humanistic dialogue, asset promotion, tourism campaign, teaching and training, information services and the likes.