On October 13, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming and Madam Hu Pinghua attended the “My People, My Country” Gala in celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China hosted by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in the Midlands at Guildhall, Birmingham. More than 800 guests watched the performance including Deputy Lord Mayor Yvonne Mosquito of Birmingham, Ms. H-J Colston, Chairman of Chopsticks Club, and representatives of Chinese scholars and students in the UK.

In his speech, Ambassador Liu extended his holiday greetings and good wishes to all the students, scholars, overseas Chinese and Chinese business community in the Midlands. He noted that the Gala organized by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in the Midlands, with enormous support from Birmingham City Council and Chopsticks Club, is a celebration not only to honour friendship and cooperation, but also to sing “three odes” to youth, mutual understanding and win-win cooperation. He expressed the hope that the young people of the two countries would strive hard to live their dreams, blaze new trails, dedicate themselves to this extraordinary era, and join hands to create a better future for both countries and the whole world.

The Gala was opened by the choir performance of the Yellow River Cantata and the Same Song by Mandarin Youth Voices from the Chopsticks Club. The Mandarin Youth Voices, consisting of 70 children from all over the UK, is the first ever foreign choir singing exclusively in Mandarin and with only Chinese works as the repertoire. This was their debut performance, which won warm applause from the audience. Other performances, including poetry recitation Chinese Dream and soprano solo My Motherland and I, struck a chord and led the Gala to the climax.

After the gala, Ambassador Liu and Madam Hu met with all the performers and took a group photo to mark the occasion.

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To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association UK has organized a series of events in 4 locations under the theme of “My People, My Country”, with the Gala in the Midlands as the second one. More celebrations will take place in London and Oxford.