BRASILIA — The “China-Brazil Cultural Year” concert commenced on Tuesday in Brasilia, highlighting a collaborative musical exchange between China and Brazil. The event featured performances by the China National Symphony Orchestra and the Claudio Santoro National Theater Symphony Orchestra, drawing an audience of approximately 600 attendees.

Jing Huan, principal conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra, led the opening piece, "Batuque," a dance composition familiar to Brazilian audiences. She described the choice as a welcoming gesture from the Chinese musicians. Despite limited rehearsal time, Jing emphasized the effort to create a complex blend of musical styles, allowing performers from both countries to deepen their appreciation of each other’s cultural traditions.

Brazilian conductor Claudio Cohen, representing the Claudio Santoro National Theater Symphony Orchestra, noted the ongoing collaborations with Chinese partners and expressed admiration for the cultural richness embedded in Chinese music. He described the concert as a successful fusion of Brazilian and Chinese cultures through shared musical expression.

Chinese Ambassador to Brazil Zhu Qingqiao highlighted the strong state of bilateral relations, attributing improvements to cultural exchanges that foster greater mutual understanding and closer ties between the peoples of the two nations.

The concert forms part of the broader China-Brazil Cultural Year, a series of activities jointly organized by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, and Brazil’s ministries of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, and Culture. This year-long initiative includes a diverse schedule of events aimed at promoting both countries as prominent cultural and travel destinations.

The cultural year follows a recent joint announcement celebrating 2026 as the China-Brazil Year of Culture. It is designed to encourage mutual discovery through cultural heritage and to strengthen tourism links.

According to Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism, China remains a significant tourism partner, with Chinese travelers accounting for more than 130 million international trips last year. Brazil currently holds the distinction of being the leading destination for Chinese tourists in Latin America.