A time-honored alleyway in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown is brimming with renewed energy around this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, thanks to an innovative makeover that is rekindling the passion for traditional Chinese Opera.
Once a faded part of the city, the Kwai Chai Hong, literally meaning "Little Demon Alley," has emerged as a popular sightseeing spot among locals, especially younger generations, blending colorful murals, interactive art installations, and live performances that transform this historic neighborhood into a dynamic modern cultural space.
With the arrival of the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important traditional holidays for Chinese descendants, the latest installation in the alley is highlighting Chinese Opera, a once-thriving art form that's in decline in recent years.
"The Chinese Opera in the 1980s in Malaysia was recorded to have over 100 Chinese Opera troupes. Unfortunately, in year 2022, the record shows that there's less than 10 left. It's a very sad truth for us," said Zeen Chang, co-founder of Kwai Chai Hong.
The performers putting on a show here are from one of the last remaining troupes, led by a master originally from Hong Kong.
粤语已核对 "When I innovate within Cantonese opera, I ensure that the original essence of the art form is preserved. Then I incorporate elements from foreign and other theatrical works. I take the best aspects and blend them together, adapting to the times," said Kam Sin Kiew, a grand master of Chinese Opera.
Among the dazzling installations is one inspired by the headdresses worn by the opera performers. It's interactive too, giving visitors a chance to do shadow play for their social media. Some of the murals now also feature augmented reality.
The latest installation's combination of lights and color, the ancient and the modern is drawing enthusiastic crowds to the Kwai Chai Hong alleyway and to the whole Chinatown.
"What we hope to do with Kwai Chai Hong right now that we have the ability is to at least rejuvenate the interest of Chinese Opera and plant a curiosity seed to everyone," Chang said.
The transformation of this alleyway is aimed at turning this once-faded part of Kuala Lumpur into a must-see attraction, not only during festivals, but year-round.
For Chinese people, the Mid-Autumn Festival is of special ethical significance, and family reunion on this occasion lying deep in their consciousness has been a sentiment and mindset for hundreds of years. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Tuesday.
Revived traditional opera brings new life to Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown
Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturers have enhanced their innovation and efficient collaboration across various essential sectors in the industry to further improve and stabilize the global industrial and supply chains.
At the second China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) which concluded on Saturday, automakers from both home and abroad set up exhibition booths at the smart vehicle section to showcase not only finished automobiles, but also raw materials and components such as batteries and sensors.
BTR New Material Group Co., Ltd., a professional manufacture of cathode and anode materials for lithium-ion batteries which was founded in August 2000 in south China's tech hub Shenzhen, is dedicated to delivering top-tier battery material solutions for the global new energy industry. They supply essential materials for the production of power batteries used in new energy vehicles, consumer electronics batteries, and energy storage systems.
"Our core products include lithium-ion battery anode materials, cathode materials, and advanced new materials. These components are essential for manufacturing power batteries for new energy vehicles, consumer electronics batteries, and energy storage systems. Since the battery is the heart of a car, our anode and cathode materials are crucial to the battery's performance. We have seen significant growth in this sector," said Chen Chuntian, BTR's technical support director.
As China's leading battery maker, the booth of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) showcased products from the energy storage sector, including supercharging piles and various power batteries.
Leveraging the industry chain established by CATL, over 200 leading companies specializing in core materials, battery structure components, and intelligent equipment have also set up operations in Ningde City, east China's Fujian Province.
At the exhibition area of smart vehicles, many car companies set up booths, showcasing how the automotive industry chain is interconnected. The Beijing Ideal MEGA and Xiaomi SU7 models are both equipped with battery packs from CATL.
Another notable company is Seres Automobile, the EV unit of China's Chongqing Sokon Industry Group which acts as a "chain leader". It has successfully attracted a significant number of upstream and downstream enterprises in the field of intelligent connected new energy vehicles.
"Seres has consistently focused on software-defined vehicles, establishing a supply chain system centered around cross-border cooperation with Huawei, which follows a 1+1 plus N model. This approach includes numerous leading supply chain companies, enabling a high degree of parts integration and local clustering of suppliers. Emphasizing integration and agglomeration, Seres has streamlined its network by reducing its previous 300 first-tier supplier partners to just 100, of which 20 are world-class supply chain companies. This consolidation has significantly enhanced the collaborative efficiency and innovation capabilities of the supply chain," said Guo Feng, director of Seres's brand public relations department.
According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's annual production of NEVs surpassed 10 million units in November 2024 for the first time. This milestone is attributed to innovation and efficient collaboration within the industry chain.
As the world's first national-level exhibition focusing on supply chains, the five-day expo attracted nearly 700 exhibitors from 69 countries and international organizations.
China's NEV manufacturers enhance innovative collaboration to further improve, stabilize global industrial, supply chains
