WTO public forum opens in Geneva and "Opportunity China" cultural promotion event held

China News Service, Geneva, September 16. The World Trade Organization 2026 Public Forum opened in Geneva, Switzerland on the 15th. On that day, the "Opportunity China·Creating and Sharing the Future" Chinese cultural promotion series was held at the WTO.

The event was hosted by the State Council Information Office and the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO and hosted by the Wuzhou Communication Center. It aimed to integrate people-to-people and cultural exchanges into global economic and trade governance discussions and promote Chinese cultural concepts to representatives of WTO members and guests attending WTO public forums.

As an important part of the promotion activities, a cultural performance called "Voice of Harmony" was held at the WTO headquarters on the evening of the 15th. The performance combines Peking Opera, ethnic instrumental music, local opera, Dong folk songs, ethnic songs and dances and other art forms to showcase the diverse charm of Chinese culture and convey the cultural implications of mutual learning among civilizations and harmony and symbiosis.

Li Yongqi, Permanent Representative of China to the WTO, and Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, watched the performance and delivered speeches. Li Yongqi said that this year marks the 25th anniversary of China’s accession to the WTO. As China integrates more deeply into the global economy, China has created broader development opportunities for the world. We hope that the spirit of "harmony without diversity" and "keeping integrity and innovation" contained in this series of cultural promotion activities can inspire us to jointly build a more open, inclusive and resilient multilateral trading system in the future.

Iweala thanked China for organizing a series of cultural promotion activities during the WTO Public Forum, saying that cultural exchanges provide another perspective on trade and globalization. Music and food have always been accompanied by trade. China has a long tradition in these aspects. We hope that the "Voice of Harmony" cultural performance will lead everyone to appreciate the rich and diverse Chinese culture.

In addition to the "Voice of Harmony" cultural performance, the promotion event also held the "Rebirth of Craftsmanship" National Trend Cultural and Creative Exhibition, which presented the cultural and creative works of the Forbidden City, Jiangxi Fuzhou Tang Xianzu opera intangible cultural heritage, Jingdezhen ceramics, Guizhou silver jewelry and Miao embroidery cultural and creative products, as well as the works of many national trend designer brands. There is a Chinese cultural element virtual reality (VR) project at the exhibition site, allowing the audience to experience the unique charm of the integration of traditional Chinese culture and modern technology up close.