Guangdong brings China's charming culture to Papua New Guinea

The 2026 Charming China (Guangdong): Lingnan Culture Travels to the South Pacific kicked off at Butuka Academy in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, on Friday, adding a splendid chapter to cultural exchanges between the two countries.

More than 600 government officials, diplomats, enterprise representatives, scholars and students from both countries attended the opening ceremony.

In their speeches, Papua New Guinea's Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko and other senior PNG officials commended China-PNG friendly relations and China's brilliant ancient civilization spanning thousands of years.

They said the genuine support from China and Guangdong province in education, medical care and other fields has bolstered local growth.

"And Butuka Academy, aided by Shenzhen of Guangdong, serves as a living symbol of lasting bilateral friendship," Tkatchenko said.

Chinese Ambassador to PNG Yang Xiaoguang expressed his appreciation for the vibrant cultural programs brought by the Guangdong delegation that have won an enthusiastic response from the audience.

The positive feedback, he said, reflected the PNG people's strong interest in Chinese culture, and showed how effectively culture can engage and inspire the younger generation in PNG.

Deng Hong, deputy director of the Information Office of Guangdong, said culture is the ultimate bridge linking souls.

"We hope to take this chance to deepen inter-civilization dialogue, broaden practical cooperation, and jointly build a new vision where all cultures thrive side by side," he said.

The performance by the Guangdong delegation was met with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response.

Teachers and students from Butuka Academy exclaimed that it was "the highest-standard artistic performance since the founding of the academy".

Ni Yumei, a board member of the academy, said young people who experience Lingnan culture up close can not only broaden their horizons but also plant seeds of friendship in their hearts.

Culture, education and technology will become the most promising areas for bilateral cooperation, Ni said.

In addition to Yueju, or Guangdong Opera, the performances included singing and dancing, a magic show, lion dance, traditional Lingnan puppet shows and Wushu, or martial arts.

The year 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Papua New Guinea and is designated as the "APEC China Year".