AsiaNet 200435

HAIKOU, China, Oct. 9, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--Nearly one million visitors immersed themselves in culture and art experiences in Haikou, the capital of south China's Hainan Province, during China's National Day Holiday, as the inaugural Haikou Urban Art Week brought together a variety of cultural events for the audience.

Musical concerts, calligraphy and painting exhibitions, street art performances, and fashion shows of intangible cultural heritages were all staged during the Week. Alongside these artistic experiences, there were beach sports, SUP carnivals, basketball leagues and more activities, providing a mix of cultural and recreational choices for both Chinese and foreign visitors.

"Haikou is a city of music." Jong May Urbonya, a U.S. blogger, attended local concerts and traditional Hainan Opera performances, and was highly impressed by the rich cultural offerings and relaxing lifestyle in Haikou. Jong May said: "If given the opportunity, I would love to come back again."

"I am amazed to see such a wonderful painting exhibition. It shows the spiritual essence of the Chinese people," Irina from Russia said. She came to the exhibition with her friends, and was captivated by Chinese painter Qi Baishi's work, "Shrimp and Crab" hanging scroll.

The city also saw a major surge in tourism thanks to Kanye West's global tour, which brought 40,000 fans, 95% of whom were from outside Hainan Island.

"By hosting local brands of art festival and fostering platforms for cultural exchange, Haikou aims to develop its artistic identity while driving the cultural tourism economy," the person in charge of the Publicity Department of Haikou Municipal Party Committee noted.

Haikou is the southernmost historical and cultural city in China, and is currently pacing up the construction of the core area of the Hainan Free Trade Port. In recent years, the city has been enhancing its urban functions and quality by strengthening the cultural landscape, boosting the performing arts economy, and improving the infrastructure of urban cultural and artistic spaces.

Source: The Publicity Department of Haikou Municipal Party Committee