“Colorful China, Cultural Xizang” International Photo Tour Exhibition opened at the China Cultural Center in Singapore on December 9. Through a series of photo narratives, vividly contrasting the past and present, the exhibition offers visitors a genuine experience of the decades-long development and transformation in Xizang. By scanning QR codes, visitors can also access an online multilingual photo exhibition and participate in various interactive activities both online and offline.
Yu Yingfu, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), delivered a video speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. Hoon Tai Meng, honorary secretary of the Singapore China Friendship Association, and Wa Chunfang, deputy director of the CICG Center for Europe and Africa (China Today), attended the event and delivered speeches. The opening ceremony saw more than 40 attendees from both China and Singapore.
Yu Yingfu, vice president of China International Communications Group, delivers a video speech.
Yu Yingfu noted that the development of China’s Xizang Autonomous Region over the past decades stands as a remarkable example of regional modernization in China, as well as a significant achievement of the world in sustainable development under challenging high-altitude conditions. Its accomplishments extend beyond economic data, representing comprehensive advancements in material, ethical-cultural, social, and ecological civilizations. “Civilization becomes colorful through exchange and enriched through mutual learning,” Yu said. “This exhibition offers a direct, authentic, and multi-dimensional perspective on modern Xizang, moving beyond stereotypes,” he noted.
Hoon Tai Meng highlighted the deep and enduring friendship between Singapore and China, emphasizing cultural exchange as a vital bridge for enhancing mutual understanding and strengthening people-to-people ties. “This exhibition is a concrete step towards deepening cultural exchange and fostering mutual understanding between our peoples,” Hoon said. “It provides people in Singapore with a valuable opportunity to gain an intuitive understanding of Xizang’s history and current realities, and to appreciate its natural and cultural beauty. Such exchanges will help bring our peoples closer together, contributing to the continued advancement of China-Singapore relations and the deepening of bilateral comprehensive cooperation,” he added.
Wa Chunfang remarked that the exhibition transforms the grand narrative of Xizang’s decades-long progress, spanning economic development, improvement of people’s livelihoods, ecological conservation, and cultural preservation, into relatable individual memories and visual experiences through compelling photographic stories. “The profound beauty of Xizang can resonate not only here and now but also transcend physical boundaries, reaching audiences worldwide in their daily lives," Wa said. “We believe truth and goodwill have the power to dispel misunderstandings, and that communication and understanding are the finest materials for building bridges between peoples of different nations,” she said.
Group photo of the attendees at the Singapore exhibition.
On December 13, a guided tour for the “Colorful China, Cultural Xizang” exhibition was held at the Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) in Malaysia.
The event features more than 30 carefully selected images covering Xizang’s ecology, culture, economy, healthcare, and education, showcasing the region’s remarkable transformation over the past decades.
Attendees included Xu Sisheng, counselor of the Embassy of China in Malaysia, Wa Chunfang, , Dearna Kee June Chen, dean of the Faculty of Communication and Creative Industries at TAR UMT, and Datin Seri Penny Liao, president of the Malaysia-China Folklore Culture Tourism Association, as well as over 50 faculty members and students from the university.
Group photo of the attendees at the Malaysia exhibition.
Visitors at the exhibition.
This exhibition is guided by Chinese embassies in Singapore and Malaysia, CICG, and the Information Office of the People’s Government of Xizang Autonomous Region. It is organized by the CICG Center for Europe and Africa (China Today) and the Xizang International Communication Center.
The Singapore exhibition, on the first floor of the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, runs from December 9 to 19. It will then continue on to the rest of Singapore through a combination of displays and presentations. Meanwhile, the Malaysia exhibition, being shown at TAR UMT, Cheras EkoCheras Mall, and the Seri Kembangan City Farm in Malaysia, runs from December 1 to 30.
The exhibition will be successively held at multiple locations in Egypt and South Africa, where it also integrates with Xizang’s tourism promotion activities to reach diverse venues including communities, universities, bookstores, and shopping malls, offering an interactive experience that connects directly with the public.
