The 2012 Qingdao International Marine Festival will kick off in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, on July 20. Various activities themed on marine culture, tourism, sports, science and technology, blue economy, as well as a navy demonstration will be held during the 16-day festival, which will take place in Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center.

"The Qingdao International Marine Festival has become one of Qingdao's many festival brands, and it can promote the city to the world as a sailing capital," said Zang Aimin, vice president of the Qingdao Major International Sailing Events (Festivals) Organizing Committee.

This year's festival has a traditional theme "to invite the world to this blue feast." Several new activities will also be presented to citizens and tourists, such as a small floats parade for kids, a visit to the boat of the China Team from America's Cup, and a keynote speech on blue marine culture by Yu Qiuyu, one of China's celebrated culture scholars.

Routine events will still be hosted during the festival, including the orchestra parade, marine photographic exhibition, fishing competition, Jonoon Cup sampan competition, and the Qingdao-Rizhao sailing rally race.

An opening ceremony will be held on the night of July 20 to kick off the 2012 Qingdao International Marine Festival. Numerous guests and local citizens will attend the ceremony, such as the Chinese scientists who have just finished in June the mission of reaching 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench, western Pacific Ocean, marking China's technical capability to explore 99 percent of the ocean floor.

The Qingdao International Marine Festival, established in 1999, is co-organized by the General Administration of Sport of China, State Oceanic Administration, National Tourism Administration, and Qingdao municipal government.

By Huang Yaning (China Daily Qingdao Bureau)

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Emily Cheng