The 11th Silk Road International Film Festival kicked off in Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on Saturday.
The opening ceremony of the festival features various forms of art performances including intangible cultural heritage display, music, dance, and situational dramas, showcasing the charm of Xi'an as both the historical starting point of the ancient Silk Road and a modern city.
Co-hosted by China Media Group and the provincial governments of Shaanxi and Fujian, this year's festival will last till Wednesday. The festival has seen 24 films, including Chinese films "A Long Shot" - a blend of drama and thriller, "Like a Rolling Stone" which portrays a Chinese woman's self-awakening, and Documentary film "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru", entering the final race to compete for the "Golden Silk Road Award", the annual award recognizing achievements in 10 categories, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor.
This year's "Golden Silk Road Award" has received applications from over 2,065 films from 136 countries and regions, setting new record.
The festival is set to present a series of special activities including the online and offline public screenings of nearly 300 Chinese and foreign films.
The Silk Road International Film Festival is held annually. Xi'an--the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and Fuzhou--the capital of east China's Fujian Province alternate as hosts of the prominent event. The Silk Road International Film Festival is part of China's Silk Road Film Bridge Project, aiming to carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road and promote cooperation and exchanges of filmmakers from China and abroad.
11th Silk Road International Film Festival kicks off in Xi’an
Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.
Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.
More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.
Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.
"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.
During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.
"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.
With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.
"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.
Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition
