Song and dance troupes from some 15 countries will perform at the upcoming Nanning International Folk Song and Art Festival from November 12 to 16.

The artists come from countries including United States, France, Russia, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Peru, Nigeria, Hungary and Benin. Well-known Chinese singers from the mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao also will perform at the festival.

This festival was previously called the Guangxi International Folk Song and Art Festival, and Nanning is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region where most ethnic groups traditionally sing at important gatherings.

The festival will feature cultural activities, economic and trade programs, and special tours. The cultural activities include an evening gala to mark the start of the festival, a singing contest, a performance by Chinese and foreign folk singers, a national costumes exposition, and an international seminar on folk culture.

The regional government of Guangxi has invited over 4,000 domestic and overseas business people to attend the economic and trade fair during the six-day festival, and has also selected more than 1,000 projects for investment promotion.