Fusing Chinese and African dance forms, Li Ziyan, a Uganda based Chinese dancer, puts a new spin on the hip-hop dance, bringing ties between the two countries closer while moving on the dance floor.
Li Ziyan has been teaching hip-hop dance - a style of movement marked by bounces and rocks performed to Hip Hop music - to both young and old in Uganda about since she left China and settled in this country in east Africa ten years ago.
"I teach them the foundation of hip-hop. Then they share the African culture with me. I learn from them. They learn from me," said Li.
Ziyan's unique style has influenced her dancing partners.
"Africans are free. We are free, so we are trying to also let other people understand how free, how good it feels to bring two cultures together, especially, Chinese culture and African culture, when they come together, you can see yourself. You see love and sharing," said Charles 'Tree' Odokobot, a Ugandan dancer.
A decade has passed, yet Ziyan says she is not about to stop, and she does so for good reasons.
"People they treat me nicely. They welcome me. They have an open heart and they are friendly," she said.
On stage, Li and her students showcase dances that reflect both Chinese and African musical traditions. The invaluable cultural exchange they experience continues to fuel their passion for dance, keeping Ziyan and her dancing friends going for a long time.
Hip hop dancer brings China and Uganda closer through fancy footwork
Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."
Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.
"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.
"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.
Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.
EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland
