China to launch Islamic cultural pageant in Turkey

China will launch an eight-day Islamic cultural pageant in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, on Friday as part of China's efforts to enhance its bilateral relations with Turkey, a Chinese official said here Wednesday.

Guo Wei, director general of Foreign Affairs Department of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, said at a press conference that the Chinese Islamic Cultural Expo would introduce China's Islamic history and unique Muslim culture to Turkey.

She expressed her hope that the Islamic cultural pageant, which involves more than 100 people from China, will deepen the mutual understanding and enhance the cooperation between Chinese and Turkish Muslims.

"2012 China-Turkey Islamic Cultural Expo and Performances" will start from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7 at Istanbul's Ali Emiri Culture Center. It is jointly organized by China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, the Islamic Association of China (IAC) and Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs to mark the China-Turkey Cultural Year.

During the Islamic Cultural Expo, Chinese Muslims will exhibit Chinese Islamic culture, Quran chanting, a symposium on China- Turkey Islamic exchanges, and Islamic singing and dancing shows.

Mehmet Pacaci, general director of foreign relations from Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs, said at the conference that cooperation between Chinese and Turkish Muslims has developed fast in recent years.

Head of Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs Mehmet Gormez visited China in 2011 and signed a memorandum of understanding with China's State Administration for Religious Affairs. The two countries agreed to boost bilateral cooperation in religion affairs such as Islamic education, Quran printing and student exchange programs, he added.

Talking about his personal experience of Chinese Islamic culture when he visited China, Pacaci said Chinese Muslims are like their Turkish counterpart and both could live harmoniously with people from other beliefs or ethnics. Chinese society is very tolerant to Muslim communities and promotes the policy of religious freedom, Pacaci said, and he was very impressed by the beautiful architecture and long history of Beijing's Niujie Mosque.

"The Western society is closed to Muslim culture where one can hardly find historical mosques or rich Muslim culture, but Chinese society integrate Muslims well and Chinese Muslims can live and perform their religion freely in China," Pacaci said.

Yang Zhibo, vice president of China Islamic Association, said this expo will display the peace-loving, moderate and tolerant spirit of Chinese Muslims and show the splendid Chinese Islamic culture to the Turkish public.

Yang said both Chinese and Turkish Muslims wish for a stable society with good economic development in which everyone could live a happy life.