First Lady to Visit China after Festival of the Spring

By David Li, bostonese.com

Boston, March 5, 2013, — According to a White House announcement on March 3, First Lady Michelle Obama is to pay a week-long visit to China starting on March 19. The First Lady will be visiting Beijing from March 20-23, Xi’an on March 24, and Chengdu from March 25-26.
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First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks announcing proposed revisions to the Nutrition Facts label during a “Let’s Move!” event in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 27, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)




“She will also be visiting important historical and cultural sites in China, and will share with students in the US the stories of the students she meets in China, as well as interesting facts about China’s history and culture – emphasizing the importance of students learning from one another globally,” the Office of the First Lady said in a statement.

Just a couple weeks before the White House announcement, the “Cultures of China, Festival of the Spring” US tour by top singers and dancers from China ended at John Hancock Hall in Boston’s Back Bay on Feb. 16. One of the missions of this year’s “Cultures of China, Festival of Spring” US tour was to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China.

The star-studded performances included Chinese folk songs by famous singers Yang Hongji, Dong Wenhua, Cai Guoqing, Liu yanyan, and Beijing Opera by renowned artists Yu Kuizhi, Li Shengsu. Chinese folk dances were performed by the Nanjing Battlefront Culture Troupe and traditional Chinese instrument solo was by Huqin musician Yang Jiqiang. Over 1000 in the audience responded to the remarkable performances with thunderous applause.

Please check out some beautiful pictures below by Mingwei Li of Boston Chinese Photographers Association from the show.