Young Chinese, British musicians unite in concert to foster cross-border friendship

Talented young Chinese and British musicians combined to deliver a rousing concert in London on Saturday, hitting all the right notes as they fostered a cross-border friendship through their stirring performance.

Organized by members of the China Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Royal Academy of Music, the concert featured a collaboration between 18 youths from China and the UK who had rehearsed together for several days prior.

"I feel great learning so much and broadening my horizons. I met many talented people and want to learn from them," said Gao Zijie, a flute player from the China Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

"What's so nice about this week was seeing how enthusiastic and how talented some of them are, and like really seeing them engage with orchestral playing and working as a group," said Jay, a young British musician.

The ensemble was led by the experienced conductor James Murray, who highlighted the unique power music in uniting people from different cultures.

"That's the brilliant thing about music, it's a separate language, and one of the great things about being a musician is you can share it very, very easily with someone from anywhere," he said.

During the concert, the young musicians performed a variety of classical pieces, giving them the chance to promote mutual learning and deepen cultural understanding between the two countries.

"I hope one of the things we've delivered to these kids this week is a sense of what their opportunities could be in the future, and a different way of looking at music, of thinking about music, of coming to music. And I think we've made a difference," said William Conner, manager of the China Philharmonic Youth Orchestra's London project.

"Good music always has some common points. Local children and musicians from the China Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in London praised the performance and said 'Wow! Brilliant.' Music is the best language. We aim to build a friendly and inclusive bridge through music, showcasing our talent and ability to the world," said Zhai Jia, head of the China Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Young Chinese, British musicians unite in concert to foster cross-border friendship

China and Spain are set to deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, with a focus on expanding collaboration in emerging industries such as clean energy and cross-border e-commerce, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

During a regular press briefing, spokesperson He Yongqian said the ministry will work closely with Spanish authorities to strengthen ties and cement economic partnerships.

"Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez recently led a trade delegation to China, where he and Minister Wang Wentao delivered speeches at the second meeting of the China-Spain Business Advisory Council, joined by over 60 representatives from both countries. During the meeting, business leaders from China and Spain expressed their commitment not only to strengthening cooperation in traditional sectors but also to exploring opportunities in emerging industries such as clean energy, cross-border e-commerce, big data, and the low-altitude economy, while jointly expanding into other markets," He said.

The spokesperson said the next step is to provide more regular and practical platforms for exchanges between businesses from the two countries.

Sanchez visited China for a four-day trip that began on Sept. 8.

China, Spain to deepen economic cooperation, explore new sectors: commerce ministry