Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations promote China-Fiji relations

On Tuesday in Suva, capital of Fiji, about 100 Fijians and Chinese gathered together for Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, enjoying amazing Chinese music and dances, delicious Chinese food and a wonderful exhibition of leaf etching artworks.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, when Chinese celebrate family reunion and autumn harvest, will fall on October 4 this year.

Tuesday’s celebrations, organized by the China Culture Center in Fiji, have captivated the guests of both Fiji and China including Bernadette Rounds Ganilau, secretary of the Fiji-China Friendship Association, who has visited China for many times.

She told the Xinhua News Agency that although China and Fiji are far away from each other, the two peoples’ hearts and feelings are linked, so they have good reasons to celebrate the Moon Festival together.

“I love China and her beautiful and colorful culture, which is the amazing thing that Fijian people should know. Cultural exchange always helps people become friendly and better understand with each other. It helps get people closer and make them feel that they just come from the same family,” she said.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhang Ping gave his best wishes to Fijians and local Chinese attending the celebrations.

“Fiji and China enjoy traditional friendship and the two peoples share the common pursuit of a better life. Gathering here together to celebrate the Chinese traditional festival is one of the best ways to strengthen the relationship between the two countries,” he said.

The Fiji people also embrace the traditional Chinese festival as in downtown Suva, major shops like Prouds and Jacks have been wishing their customers a “Happy Moon Festival “in both English and Chinese in advertisements and leaflets.