BELFAST, Britain, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation between Northern Ireland and China will be one of the most important trends for the years to come, said a parliament official on Wednesday at a Chinese lunar new year celebration.
Northern Ireland's parliament buildings marked the Chinese lunar new year, or Spring Festival, Wednesday with a show put on by young performers from the Shanghai Theater Academy and the local Confucius Institute at Ulster University.
Parliament members gathered at the hall to enjoy traditional Chinese folk music, a fan dance, as well as scenes from the famous Beijing opera "The Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers."
Northern Ireland Assembly Speaker Robin Newton said in his speech that he was honored to see Northern Ireland's relationship with China grow during his term. "We have had a number of very important visits, which illustrates the strength of that relationship."
"I have no doubt whatsoever that the cooperation between us will be one of the most important trends for the years to come and that improving relationships with China can help grow our local potential," he said.
The speaker noted that China and Northern Ireland are distant geographically but there is much for the two sides to share and learn from each other for mutual benefits, which is "crucial given the economic and global changes taking place at the current time."
Celebrating the Chinese lunar new year at the Assembly was an indication of mutual understanding, he said.
On the night, an even bigger show was staged at the modern Belfast Waterfront Hall for over 400 viewers, including the Belfast mayor and other city council officials.
Organized by the Confucius Institute at Ulster University, the gala included Mandarin lessons for the viewers.
Ian Montgomery, the pro-vice-chancellor of Ulster University, taught the audience how to say "Happy New Year" in Chinese. Additionally, Laurence Heyes from SOAS University of London, and Anna Moilanen from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, both winners of the Chinese Bridge competition, shared their experiences and tips for learning Chinese with many young learners of Mandarin from Northern Ireland's schools.
According to the local education department, over 20,000 students from more than 160 schools in Northern Ireland took Mandarin classes in 2018 and the number of Mandarin learners is expected to increase.
Zhang Meifang, China's consul general in Belfast, said the increasing popularity of the Chinese lunar new year celebrations across the United Kingdom is just one of many examples that showcase the rapid development of China-UK ties during recent years.
She added that next to more political and educational exchanges, last year Northern Ireland has seen a huge increase in Chinese tourists. "All these can help build bridges for mutual understanding and offer great opportunities for different cultures to learn from each other and thrive together," she said.
