China’s Cangzhou Promotes Its Canal Culture in the Netherlands, Expecting Further Cooperation

Cangzhou, a renowned city along the Chinese Grand Canal and considered the northern starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, recently held a canal culture promotion event in the Netherlands, aiming to foster further exchanges and cooperation with Europe.

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Cangzhou is located in Northeastern China’s Hebei Province, about 200 kilometers south of Beijing. The Cangzhou section of the Grand Canal spans 216 kilometers, making up about one-seventh of the total length.

“Cangzhou was born from the canal and has thrived because of it,” said Guo Xinyao, Minister of Cangzhou’s Publicity Department, at the event. “Cangzhou is also known as the hometown of Martial Arts and Chinese Acrobatics, boasting many famous tourist attractions and unique cuisine.”

According to Guo, Cangzhou has already established close ties with the Netherlands and Europe. The city has opened a direct sea route to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. In addition, Cangzhou has hosted the China-Central and Eastern European Countries SME Cooperation Forum for five consecutive years and the China-UK Green Low Carbon and Remanufacturing Industry Development Conference three times.

Ed van der Feer, Secretary General of the Netherlands-China Association, said that canal culture connects Cangzhou with many Dutch cities. He expressed the association's desire for increased communication and exchanges with Cangzhou.

Robert van Gulik, a Dutch diplomat and a renowned sinologist famous for his work Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, opened a window for Western audiences to better understand China. His granddaughter, Marie-Anne Souloumiac, Founder of Muzine Cultural Consulting and board member of the Royal Asian Art Society in the Netherlands, attended the event as well.

“I had a great chance to be born in a family with both Chinese and Dutch roots where the combination of East and West created a perfect blend and a ground for cultural innovation,” Souloumiac said. “Together we can build bridges that connect our past with our future, our culture with our shared goals with a common vision for a better world.”

“I really enjoyed this event,” said Henny Eleonora, Foreign Ambassador of Cangzhou Kung Fu Association. “China is famous for Kung Fu, but few people know that Cangzhou is its birthplace. This event helped to raise awareness of Cangzhou’s rich history.”

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