Talent show homes in on ethnic groups

A talent show that aims to identify budding artists from China's 56 ethnic groups was recently launched in Beijing.

The event will be staged on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao after the Spring Festival, the chief organizer, China Ethnic News, a newspaper affiliated to the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, reports.

The show will award 56 winners as "China Ethnic Stars" for their outstanding performances in music, opera, dancing, calligraphy, painting, martial arts, acting or modeling.

Sponsors, including private companies from Jiangsu province's capital Nanjing and Hong Kong, hope the show appeals to both domestic and international audiences and assists the protection of ethnic heritage and diverse traditions.

Wu Jingyu, a female contestant from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, says she looks forward to meeting talented individuals from other ethnic groups and seeing distinctive ethnic cultures onstage.