Winners of the "Meet China in 2000 " contest will visit China during this Spring Festival, which marks the start of the Year of the Dragon. This contest was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and carried out by China Culture International Travel Service.

56 foreign guests from 46 countries will meet in China's capital Beijing, to celebrate the first Spring Festival of the new millennium with Chinese people. They will experience both age-old traditions as well as a modern view of China, closely observe the daily life of Chinese people, and hence receive a deeper understanding of China from their firsthand observation.

From July to October 1999, the Ministry of Culture sponsored the "Meet China in 2000" Contest with 106 Chinese embassies and consulates 94 countries. More than one million foreign friends entered the contest, which brought a worldwide upsurge of learning about Chinese culture. For the purpose of commending those who receive good marks in this contest, the Ministry of Culture chose 56 people from a list recommended by embassies and consulates to visit China for a week. These 56 representatives come from the United States, the Great Britain, Japan, Spain, Egypt, Finland, Thailand, German, Russia, etc. During the Spring Festival, they will attend the grand welcoming ceremony, visit the Great Wall, and watch folklore performance, such as fireworks and dragon dances, in suburban counties. They will also celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year individually in ordinary families and call on peasant families living on the outskirts of Beijing, to get a better all-round understanding of the Chinese folk customs and the folklore of the Spring Festival.