Chinese Vice Premier Li Lanqing attended Saturday evening the opening ceremony of the third " Meet in Beijing" Arts Festival 2002.
As an influential international arts festival, Meet in Beijing, which was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Beijing municipal government and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, is scheduled to show orchestra, opera, ballet, drama and carnival performances in Beijing from April 20 to May 31.
At the opening ceremony, Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng extended his warm welcome to artists from around the world.
Actors and actresses from the Central National Music Orchestra, China Central Opera House and China Peking Opera House put on glorious performances at the ceremony.
Organizers of the cultural activities invited more than 30 foreign arts groups from Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa, as well as over ten domestic arts groups.