The inaugural Chinese Culture Festival (CCF), presented by the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department’s Chinese Culture Promotion Office, opened today at Sha Tin Town Hall, kicking off nearly 100 events to be held from June to September.

The festival aims to enhance the public’s appreciation of Chinese culture and cultivate citizens’ national identity and cultural confidence, the department explained.

In his video speech, Chief Executive John Lee said the Government will continue to promote and foster the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture while enhancing citizens’ sense of national identity and recognition of Chinese culture. It will also nurture young people’s sense of belonging to the motherland and global vision to contribute to Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability as well as the Chinese nation’s great rejuvenation.

At the same time, the Government will leverage the opportunities brought about by Hong Kong’s role as a super connector and super value-adder, and capitalise on its role as an important bridge for cultural exchanges between the East and the West, thereby strengthening Chinese culture’s global impact and influence, he added.

The opening programme, Five Stars Rising in the East, is a dance drama by the Beijing Dance Drama & Opera. Centred on a cultural relic, the performance ingeniously merges Chinese aesthetics and the flavour of the Western regions through innovative dance languages.

The inaugural CCF also features performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities. It allows members of the public and visitors to experience the broad and profound Chinese culture, with a view to promoting Chinese culture and patriotic education, as well as enhancing national identity among Hong Kong people, making contributions to the steadfast and successful implementation of “one country, two systems”.

With Shanghai designated as this year’s focal city, spectacular events will also be staged to showcase the cultural charm of Shanghai styles.