Audience in China are embracing a cultural wave as a rich array of traditional operas, folk music, and dance light up theaters across the country. In Beijing, the third Sichuan Opera Showcase "Beijing Performance Week" is underway at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater from December 23 to 28. Featuring four full-length productions and a highlights performance, the showcase presents signature stunts such as face-changing, fire-spitting, and flowing "water" sleeves, mesmerizing spectators with the unique charm of Sichuan Opera.
The repertoire mixes classic revivals with innovative new works, offering the Beijing audience an immersive experience steeped in the expressive tones and stylings of Sichuan performing arts.
At the National Center for the Performing Arts, the Beijing Chinese Orchestra staged its "Seasons of China" concert on December 21. The performance created a musical narrative with ethnic instruments, delighting the audience with the rich beauty of traditional Chinese music across styles and regions.
Meanwhile, the 15th National Dance Showcase, held in Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province, from December 10 to 26, brought together performances from across China. Ten full-length dance dramas and dance poems, along with 51 individual dance pieces, were presented by 31 organizations nationwide, drawing large audiences.
China’s year-end stage performances thrill audiences
The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting concluded in east China's Suzhou on Saturday, yielding fruitful results and laying significant groundwork for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.
The trade ministers' meeting focused on "building an open and predictable regional and multilateral economic and trade order" and "fostering new engines of innovative and dynamic trade and investment cooperation."
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao briefed the media on the meeting's outcomes at a press conference.
Wang said the meeting issued a joint statement titled the Suzhou Statement, and approved the latest edition of the APEC Roadmap for Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Services.
All parties agreed to advance policy innovation and reform in services trade, build an open and predictable investment environment, improve regional trade facilitation and supply chain resilience, strengthen standards coordination, and enhance intellectual property protection, Wang told the media.
He also said that substantial progress was made on a framework document for regional digital trade cooperation and the ministers emphasized promoting inclusive AI development, strengthening AI-related trade, and bridging the digital divide to ensure shared benefits from digital transformation.
The minister noted that the outcomes of the meeting demonstrated strong cooperation willingness, highlighted an innovation-oriented approach, and reflected inclusiveness and shared benefits. "The fact that Asia-Pacific economies can come together, uphold the original aspiration of promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation while supporting economic growth and prosperity, and engage in in-depth discussions on the important issue of 'where multilateral and regional economic and trade cooperation is headed,' fully demonstrates that open regionalism and true multilateralism enjoy broad support, and that mutual success and shared development serve the fundamental interests of all economies," Wang said.
2026 APEC trade ministers' meeting concludes with fruitful results
