China Year in Turkey to boost two countries’ ties

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Events for the China Year in Turkey kicked off Dec. 12 with the “Silk Road from Famous Chinese Artists” exhibit at CerModern, Ankara’s modern art museum.

Turkey will host many Chinese activities and events throughout the year, Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay said during the exhibition’s opening ceremony. “This year Turkey will become the home of Chinese art.”

Günay said China, as well as Turkey, would become one of the most important countries in the 21st century. “With these developments, Turkey and China will continue to establish their statuses in the world, in politics, economics and artistic developments.”

Günay also said the growing Turkish-Chinese relationship could create a “Peace Bridge.”

Reciprocal visits

Many Chinese artists and representatives will visit different provinces in Turkey such as Ankara, Istanbul, İzmir, Bursa, Antalya and Samsun as part of the year-long cultural events. Next year, Turkish artists will visit China, Günay said. “With China’s ‘Turkey Year,’ Chinese artists will also have the chance to follow developments in Turkish art.”

Chinese Ambassador to Turkey Gong Xiaosheng said that despite the distance between Turkey and China, the two nations’ friendship had spanned 2,000 years.

The Silk Road represents peace, friendship and civilization, Gong said, adding that Chinese artists were recreating that sentiment with their paintbrushes. “Today, we will once again establish the relationship we had in the days of the Silk Road. We hope to create a bridge between the two nations.”

After giving their speeches, Günay and Gong toured the exhibition and took notes on the works. The Chinese artists gave one of their works to Günay as a gift in gratitude for hosting them.

Before the ceremony, messages from Chinese President Hu Jintao and Turkish President Abdullah Gül were read. Chinese Vice Minister of Culture Yang Zhijin also attended the opening ceremony.

Chinese group in Bursa

Meanwhile, the Chinese Acrobatic Group will perform on stage in the northwestern province of Bursa on Dec. 17 and 18 as part of a world tour. The show will take place at the Atatürk Congress Culture Center and is expected to draw a large audience.

The group, established in 1950, has toured more than 80 countries and has won 18 gold medals. This is the group’s second appearance in Turkey.