Cultural Week to debut in Qinghai, connecting Macau, Beijing

Ji Xianzheng [Photo:Ricaela Diputado]

The 18th Cultural Week of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries will run from June 27 to July 10, connecting Macau, Qinghai, and Beijing under the theme “Convergence of Sino-Portuguese Cultures, Connecting Friends Across the Globe,” according to the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao).

Secretary-General Ji Xianzheng announced the program at a press conference held yesterday at the Complex of Commerce and Trade Co-operation Platform for China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, alongside deputy secretaries-general Xie Ying and Danilo Henriques.

This year marks the first time the Cultural Week will be held in Qinghai, a high-altitude province in western China that is home to 54 ethnic groups.

Ji said the choice followed a cooperation agreement signed between Qinghai Province and the Secretariat in 2025, adding that local authorities had shown strong enthusiasm from the outset.

Beijing was selected for its unique influence as the national capital and to build on experience gained from last year’s event there.

“We are going to a very special region in China,” Ji said on the sidelines. “Located in the west of the country, it is a place that foreigners seldom visit, let alone people from Portuguese-speaking countries. This will be the first major event held by representatives of Portuguese-speaking countries in the history of cultural exchange in this province.”

The Cultural Week continues the “three-city collaboration” model introduced last year, when the event first expanded beyond Macau into the mainland.

Ji said the approach aims to standardize operations while preserving each location’s distinct character.

The Macau leg will kick off on June 26 with a Portuguese-speaking Countries food fair. On June 29, the opening ceremony of the Portuguese-speaking Countries Handicrafts Exhibition will take place at the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) Gallery, which will be open to the public from June 30 to July 5.

Music and dance performances will be held at Senado Square on June 30 and July 1, featuring Macau singer-songwriters Germano Guilherme and Winnie Lam alongside troupes from Portuguese-speaking nations.

In Qinghai, performances will be held on July 4 and 5 at Tangdao 637 Plaza in Xining, with the Qinghai Art Troupe presenting dance programs blending multiethnic and modern elements.

The Beijing leg will run on July 9 and 10 at the Shell Theatre, featuring Chinese soprano Gao Ruixuan and veteran musician Lan Tianqi, with Macau singers Zhuo Jiahao and Winnie Lam also taking the stage.

A total of six performances will bring together approximately 60 artists from mainland China, Macau, and Portuguese-speaking countries. The handicrafts exhibition will display 158 pieces from nine Portuguese-speaking nations.

Culinary highlights include a media banquet on June 26 at the Royal Hotel’s Fado restaurant, followed by a special menu available to diners from June 27 to 29. Three chefs will showcase Macanese, Portuguese, and Timorese cuisine.

The Secretariat will also organize economic and trade exchange sessions in Qinghai, inviting representatives from the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Macao, the Macau Chamber of Commerce, and the China-Portuguese Speaking Countries Cooperation Fund to explore business opportunities. Performers from Portuguese-speaking countries will visit Qinghai Lake and the Guide National Geological Park to promote local tourism.

This year’s event will also support the “China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Youth Short Video Contest,” organized by local institutions as a new audiovisual cooperation initiative.