The inauguration ceremony for the China Today Intangible Cultural Heritage Pavilion (Sanlitun, Beijing) and the China Today Salon (Sanlitun, Beijing), along with "China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage World Tour" Ceramic Art Exhibition, was successfully held in Sanlitun, Beijing on December 23, 2025. Over a hundred representatives from the fields of culture, art, and academia participated in the event. The event aimed to create a platform for humanities and art exchange that is based in China’s capital city with a global influence, showcasing the charm and essence of China's intangible cultural heritage and distinctive cultural products. 

Zhao Lijun, president of the Center for Europe and Africa of CICG, delivers a speech.

According to Zhao Lijun, president of the Center for Europe and Africa of China International Communications Group (CICG), the Salon and the Pavilion are cultural exchange brand projects meticulously developed by the CICG Center for Europe and Africa, drawing on over seventy years of international communication experience which its time-honored China Today magazine has accumulated.  

The Pavilion is not merely a static exhibition space, but also an innovative international platform for the dissemination of China’s intangible cultural heritage. It serves as the core hub and model of the center’s domestic layout. In the future, it will regularly host exhibitions on intangible cultural heritage themes, demonstrations of master craftsmanship, cultural dialogues between China and other countries, as well as public education activities. 

Our goal is to enable every visitor to not only see China's intangible cultural heritage items but also to understand the vivid stories behind them, and thereby deepen their appreciation for Chinese culture and fondness for China, said Zhao. 

Ian J. Marshall, ambassador of Grenada to China, delivers a video speech.

In his video address, Ian J. Marshall, ambassador of Grenada to China, stated that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Grenada, during which time the two countries have strengthened cooperation in many fields. 

Through such platforms as the Pavilion and the Salon, the world will be able to gain a better understanding of China's intangible cultural heritage, such as silk and ceramics. He hoped that in the future, Grenada's intangible cultural heritage projects can be showcased on this platform. Additionally, this platform is expected to combine digital exhibitions with on-site activities to better promote exchanges between the peoples of the two countries and help the world gain a deeper understanding of both Grenada and China. 

Feng Zhiming, director of the Publicity Department of CPC Chaoyang District Committee, Beijing, delivers a speech.

According to Feng Zhiming, director of the Publicity Department of CPC Chaoyang District Committee, Beijing, as an important window for Beijing's international exchanges and a vibrant area where diverse cultures converge, Beijing’s Chaoyang District is committed to promoting China's fine traditional culture in innovative ways and fostering dialogue between civilizations. The opening of the Pavilion and the Salon in Sanlitun adds a new cultural landmark and space for international exchange, showcasing the unique charm of Chinese culture and aesthetics.  

Chaoyang District will continue to fully support the operation of the Pavilion and the Salon, provide comprehensive services, and coordinate resources. It looks forward to working hand in hand with the CICG and all partners to jointly explore new models for the inheritance and international dissemination of intangible cultural heritage. This will allow more cultural treasures of China to exhibit Chinese wisdom and values to the world, contributing Chaoyang's strength to the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and the promotion of mutual learning among civilizations. 

Lao Chi Long, member of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, delivers a speech.

According to Lao Chi Long, member of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, although Beijing and Macao are thousands of miles apart, they share a mutual commitment to protecting cultural roots and promoting civilizational dialogue. As the cultural gene and collective memory of a nation, intangible cultural heritage is not only crucial in the inheriting of tradition but also serves as an important source for inspiring contemporary creativity and enhancing international understanding.  

The Pavilion has a unique role in providing a national-level platform for systematically preserving, showcasing, and transmitting intangible cultural heritage. We are pleased to serve as an active window for displaying Chinese culture to the world, particularly Portuguese-speaking countries and regions. Macao possesses unique advantages in promoting the international dissemination of  Chinese fine traditional culture, including intangible cultural heritage. 

In the future, we are willing to continue serving as a liaison and a platform for cultural exchange, transforming the profound historical value behind intangible cultural heritage and the vitality of contemporary China into content that is widely appreciated by audiences in various countries and regions, especially Portuguese-speaking ones, creating a vibrant showcase that fosters mutual understanding between the peoples of China and the world, he said. 

Lv Jinquan, vice president of the China Ceramic Industry Association, delivers a speech.

According to Lv Jinquan, vice president of the China Ceramic Industry Association, ceramics are the long lasting dialogue between earth and fire and serve as an elegant annotation to Chinese civilization. Sounding like a chime, shining like a mirror, and having a body that is as thin as paper, and as white as jade, porcelain has become a name card that introduces China to the world. With the inauguration of the Pavilion, the ceramic arts now have a spiritual home. He looked forward to cooperating with participants present here together with friends around the world who cherish culture, to jointly explore the boundless possibilities of cultural exchange. He also expected to co-create a civilization that is harmonious and shared, and to inject deeper and more enduring cultural vitality into the world’s understanding of China. 

Opening ceremony of the China Today Salon (Sanlitun, Beijing). 

Opening ceremony of the China Today Intangible Cultural Heritage Pavilion (Sanlitun, Beijing).

During the event, Zhao Lijun and Feng Zhiming unveiled together the official plaque of the Salon. Sun Shuguang, Secretary of the Sanlitun Subdistrict Office Working Committee, and Li Wuzhou, deputy director of the CICG Center for Europe and Africa unveiled together the official plaque of the Pavilion.  

The event also announced the official launching of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage World Tour exhibition project. The project will first focus on Grenada and Cyprus, promoting dialogue between Chinese and foreign civilizations and fostering mutual understanding through diverse displays and experiential activities. The organizers also presented certificates to the artists whose works were among the first to be included in the Pavilion. The guests then visited the “China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage World Tour” Ceramic Art Exhibition located on the fifth floor of the Pavilion.  

Group photo of guests. 

Guests engage in in-depth discussions on inheriting and protecting intangible cultural heritage. 

The interior of the China Today Intangible Cultural Heritage Pavilion.

Renowned scholars from the National Museum of China, China National Academy of Painting, and Wuhan University of Technology, masters of arts and crafts, industry representatives, and foreign artists engaged in in-depth discussions on the inheritance and protection of ceramic making skills, methods of contemporary innovation, industrial upgrading, international dissemination, and the integration of intangible heritage across multiple sectors. 

This event was organized by the CICG Center for Europe and Africa, the Sanlitun Subdistrict Office Working Committee, and the Sanlitun Subdistrict Office, and carried out by the International School of Jingdezhen Ceramic University, the Jingdezhen Ceramic University Museum, the China Today Intangible Cultural Heritage Pavilion (Sanlitun, Beijing), the China Today Salon (Sanlitun, Beijing), and the China Today Intangible Cultural Heritage Pavilion (Jingdezhen).