Following its successful start last October, the Second China-ASEAN Dance Forum was held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Running from October 29 to 31, the Forum was initiated by the Chinese Dancers Association along with the Nanning municipal government and sponsored jointly by China's Dance magazine, Nanning Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Nanning DaDiFeiGe Culture Co Ltd.

 

China and ASEAN countries all have a long history of traditional dances. However, with rapid globalization spreading worldwide, traditional dancing cultures are facing renewed threat and are seeking effective measures to protect, inherit and develop them.

 

The First China-ASEAN Dance Forum attracted many famous dancers and aesthetic theorists from member countries, and the present conditions of the traditional dances were explained and means of handing them down as well as ensuring their future were explored. During the session, local folk dances and newly created dances were performed for the participants.

 

The Second China-ASEAN Dance Forum welcomed more participants from various fields, including outstanding dancers, aesthetic theorists, scholars and cultural officials from China and ASEAN countries but also representatives from the ASEAN secretariat and officers from the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chinese Dancers Association. Dancing performances from Nanning's art school were showcased along with other traditional dances from ASEAN countries.

 

Another important move of the forum was to draft and pass The Nanning Declaration - China-ASEAN Dance Forum. The declaration aims to strengthen dancing culture exchanges between art circles from China and ASEAN countries. Furthermore, a long-term system will be discussed to boost the regional cooperation of dancing arts.

 

The forum was held along with the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN dialogue partnership. Based on the common understanding from the Ninth China-ASEAN Summit, all leaders of China and ASEAN member countries attended a commemorative summit in Nanning on October 30. The participants of the China-ASEAN summit include Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Myanmar Prime Minister General Soe Win, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong.

 

Meanwhile, the Third China-ASEAN Expo was also held here in tandem with the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit.

 

(China.org.cn November 1, 2006)