The upcoming 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing will be a "turning point" in China-Africa relations and a significant step towards boosting global development, according to Professor Yoro Diallo, former First Counsellor of the Embassy of Mali in China.
Diallo, one of the scholars who penned a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, shared Xi's prompt and encouraging response which urged them to continue their research and efforts towards mutual development and prosperity in China, Africa, and beyond.
"We addressed a common letter. I was surprised that President Xi Jinping, he answered immediately and encouraged us to pursue our work, to pursue our research, to pursue our conduct in order to create common development, common prosperity in China, in Africa and all over the world," said Diallo.
He sees Xi's response as a source of inspiration and guidance, emphasizing that Xi's vision for shared development is a powerful motivator for continued cooperation between Africa and China.
Diallo also believes that China's modernization serves as a model for global economies, and the FOCAC summit will be a pivotal moment for strengthening China-Africa relations and contributing to global development.
"China can be an example for Africa. China's modernization is like an open door for economies all over the world. And I think that the way we are working on the FOCAC is the best way for Africans and Chinese to make our community, to make our people realize their aspirations. And the FOCAC today in Beijing will be, I can say the turning point of relations between China and Africa. This will be a historic meeting. This meeting will write an important page of China-Africa cooperation, an important page of world development," he said.
Themed "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," the FOCAC summit is scheduled to take place in Beijing from Sept 4 to 6.
Malian diplomat anticipates historic FOCAC summit as pivotal for China-Africa relations
The Mid-Autumn Festival Gala, to be held by China Media Group (CMG), will provide a stunning visual feast through the ingenious combination of state-of-the-art technologies and picturesque landscape scenery, aiming to impress the audience via delicate stage designs in romantic and aesthetic settings.
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Tuesday this year. CMG has announced that the gala is going to take place in Shenyang City, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.
The stage for the upcoming gala has been set on the lakeside of Dingxiang Lake in Shenyang City as the event is aimed to present an impressive "beautiful, sincere, lyrical, and romantic" artistic vision.
Nestled against the lake, the circular stage featuring a 360-degree panorama highlights the integration of art and modern technologies.
The biggest highlight and innovation of the stage design is a movable "full moon". With a diameter of 12 meters, the moon weighing 10 tons sits on the main stage and casts light on the rippling water.
"The use of water is a feature of the Mid-Autumn Festival Gala. We hope that the mutual reflections of the images will evoke longing for family reunion. These buildings with styles of Ming and Qing dynasties, the typical and simple Chinese moon gate, we hope that through graphics, modeling, physical scenery set and the overall structural setting of the stage, we can combine Chinese aesthetics with modernity and infuse the Chinese aesthetics in the Mid-Autumn Festival stage creation, so as to present them to Chinese people around the world," said Wang Chen, director of stage art of the gala.
"When I got here and saw it today, I thought the stage setting is so beautiful. The big moon delivers an artistic conception. And there is a pavilion by the water. When a performer stands inside and sing, it looks like a beautiful painting. This time I will sing a very beautiful song, and I'll also dance in my performance. I hope people will like it," said Jin Chen, a performer.
In addition to the theme of family reunion, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival Gala also incorporates patriotism, as well as precious video clips showcasing the development of the country.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a significant traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the night when the moon reaches its fullest and brightest on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.
During the festival, family members would come together, share mooncakes while admiring the moon, and light up lanterns to enjoy the happiness of family reunion.
CMG unveils moon-shaped, dreamlike stage of Mid-Autumn Festival Gala
