A national show of Chinese folk orchestral music, titled "symphony of the times," kicked off earlier this week in Ordos, a city in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, highlighting the country's recent achievements in traditional music composition.
The show features 14 performances by 11 national folk orchestras and 32 folk music ensembles, drawing thousands of spectators.
The opening show is a large-scale folk orchestral concert using traditional Chinese musical elements to depict contemporary realism and the country's modern journey.
"It truly allows us to experience the unique charm of Chinese musical instruments. It was deeply moving, "said Ulan, an audience member at the opening show.
Alongside the performances, organizers will host industry seminars and public concerts designed to bring top-tier national cultural resources directly to local communities and boost cultural spending and tourism.
"We want to ensure that audiences who cannot attend in person can also share in this national music festival, so as to enable art and culture to benefit the people and make them accessible to the general public," said Liu Chang, a deputy head of the art department at the Ordos Bureau of Culture and Tourism.
The event runs from July 14 to 27.
National show of folk orchestral music opens in north China city
Business leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs from around the world gathered at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), where discussions are focusing on turning AI innovation into cross-border partnerships and real-world applications.
The 2026 WAIC is running in Shanghai from Friday to Monday under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future."
Across the exhibition halls, conversations often extended beyond product demonstrations, with visitors exploring potential partnerships, supply chains and overseas expansion.
Among them was Paolo Brizzi, chief information officer of Italy's Competence Center for Industry and Manufacturing (CIM), who met with a Chinese AI company to discuss cooperation ranging from industrial applications to entering the European market.
"My point is not to be a customer or a provider of technologies, but to identify parts [where we can] actually collaborate and work together," he said.
The four-day conference has also created opportunities for startups to connect with investors, researchers and potential customers. One startup launched an online networking group on the opening day, attracting hundreds of participants who exchanged ideas, explored business opportunities and sought technical solutions.
Participants said AI innovation depends not only on technological breakthroughs but also on cooperation across industries and countries.
"Collaboration is important because alone you cannot do so much. It needs to be a team support ecosystem," said Florian Wohlrab, CEO of Canada-based OpenHW Foundation.
For many international visitors, the conference is also an opportunity to explore how AI can help address practical challenges. Omar Khan, a participant from Pakistan, said international cooperation is essential to ensuring AI benefits everyone.
"I think, for me, we are all the one. We're human and I think we can cooperate a lot," he said.
Some attendees were looking for solutions to challenges in their home countries. A visitor from Kenya said AI applications such as weather forecast and soil analysis could help improve agricultural productivity across many parts of Africa, where farming remains a cornerstone of the economy.
As countries race to advance AI technologies, participants at this year's WAIC said the conference has become a platform for connecting ideas, technology and demand across borders, helping turn AI innovation into practical international cooperation.
World AI Conference highlights growing demand for global AI partnership
