1. From January 10 to 26, a 20-member group from Beijing Monkey King Peking Opera Troupe headed by Ke Yasha, Director of General Office of CICA, participated in “Northern Lights Festival” in Norway. Ke Yasha also visited Finland and Sweden on his way.

2. In February, CICA hosted the 6th Photograph Exhibition of “China in the Eye of Foreigners” jointly with All-China Journalists Association and other departments in cooperation with Beijing TV Station. The award-presentation ceremony was held in Beijing where foreign cultural officials in Beijing, representatives of the award-winners from over 10 countries and over 1,000 audiences were present.

3. From March 3 to 15, a 4-member CICA delegation visited Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand at the invitation of Singapore National Arts Council, Malaysian Chinese Culture Association, Thailand International Culture Committee and reached agreements on relevant cooperation programs with cultural institutions and civil groups of the three countries.

4. From March 25 to 30, a 7-member delegation from Germany Arcata Chamber Orchestra visited China at the invitation of CICA, and presented two chamber music concerts at the Beijing Concert Hall.

5. From March 25 to April 4, Nieuw Ensemble of the Netherlands presented two performances in Beijing and one in Shanghai. The event was hosted by CICA and presented by the Beijing Concert Hall and Shanghai Grand Theatre.

6. From April 3 to 8, pianist Lang Lang attended the International Piano Concert in Japan under the arrangement of CICA and his performance was warmly received by the local audience.

7. From April 15 to 19, a 4-member cultural delegation headed by Zhu Muzhi, Chairman of CICA, visited Mauritius at the invitation of Ministry of Art, Culture and Entertainment of Mauritius.

8. In April, Beijing Yihai Cultural Development Company sent Fujian Acrobatic Troupe to attend the Tony Circus performance in Italy under the endorsement of CICA.

9. From May 3 to 8, Chinese Canadian Violinist Zhang Di presented special performances at the Beijing Concert Hall under the patronage of CICA.

10. From May 12 to 20, Canadian film crew visited China to shoot the series of Ballet in China at the invitation of CICA, and interviewed the National Ballet of China and Shanghai Ballet.

11. On May 12, pianists of China, Japan, Republic of Korea and the United States jointly presented a concert in Beijing under the patronage of CICA. Ambassadors or cultural officials from the three countries attended the concert and addressed the opening ceremony.

12. From May 30 to June 3, CICA organized a study group for personnel of Grand Exhibition of Chinese Culture in Republic of Korea. This event was hosted by Publicity Division II of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations and assisted by Division of Folk Affairs, Ministry of Culture.

13. On May 28, Geneva Modern Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland visited China at the invitation of CICA, and presented a concert at the Beijing Concert Hall.

14. From June 19 to 24, “Apsaras” art group from China Opera and Dance-Drama Centre visited Norway under the arrangement of CICA. This event was hosted by the Division of Western European Affairs and assisted by the Division of Folk Affairs.

15. From June 18 to 28, working groups for the Photography Exhibitions on the Return of Hong Kong in Singapore, Australia and Indonesia were organized by CICA.

16. From June 21 to 30, an 8-member Philippine cultural delegation (Philippine Cultural Planning Association) visited China and concluded the Executive Program of Cultural Cooperation for the Years 1996-1997 between China and the Philippines. CICA assisted the Division of Asian Affairs, Bureau for External Cultural Relations, Ministry of Culture, in relevant reception of the delegation.

17. A 60-member Sandakan crew from Japanese Culture Troupe visited China at the invitation of CICA, and presented the Japanese drama Sandakan in Beijing, Dalian, Changchun and other places. The performances were warmly received in China.

18. In July, a 5-member delegation headed by Secretary-General of Sino-Belgian Cultural Centre visited Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou at the invitation of CICA and discussed the holding of Retrospective Exhibition of China’s 50-year Paintings in Flanders in 1998. This event was hosted by Publicity Division II, Bureau for External Cultural Relations under the assistance of CICA.

19. On July 5, a symphonic concert jointly hosted by CICA, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Ministry of Culture in celebration of the return of Hong Kong was held at the Great Hall of the People. Officials from CPPCC and NPC as well as foreign diplomats in China attended the concert.

20. From July 6 to 15, a 108-member art group from Asian Youth Orchestra visited China. The group also performed in Shanghai, Xi’an and Wuhan after two performances in Beijing. This event was hosted by CICA and presented by Beijing Taiyang Culture Communication Company.

21. From August 3 to 9, a 23-member delegation from Japanese Little Bear Puppet Troupe visited China at the invitation of CICA. The delegation presented 8 performances in Beijing and 5 performances in Harbin.

22. From August 27 to September 5, under the arrangement of CICA, a 26-member group from Harbin Children’s Art Troupe attended the International Children’s Festival and a series of performance activities in Fukuoka and Kumamoto in Japan at the invitation of Japanese International Cultural Revitalization Association and Ruoya Foundation.

23. From September 27, Changchun Acrobatic Troupe started its one-year commercial performance in POROD in Germany under the arrangement of CICA.

24. From September 17 to 25, a 34-member study group of performing arts from Malaysia visited China at the invitation of CICA. The study group visited the art institutes and related institutions in Beijing, and exchanged opinions with the Human Resources Centre of the Ministry of Culture on personnel exchange and training.

25. From September 20 to 27, Mr. Pullu, Chairman of International Folk Arts Festival in France visited China at the invitation of CICA. Under the arrangement of CICA, Mr. Pulu visited Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai, including China National Peking Opera Company, China Opera and Dance-Drama Centre, Shanghai Ballet School as well as other art institutes and groups. Mr. Pulu had meetings with the CICA leadership and discussed the future cooperation projects. Liu Deyou, Vice Chairman of CICA hosted a welcome dinner for Mr. Pulu and his delegation.

26. From the end of September to the beginning of October, photography exhibition of China in the Eye of Foreigners hosted by CICA and undertaken by Bridge Magazine was held in Beijing. Officials from NPC and CPPCC attended the opening ceremony.

27. From the end of October, Mr. and Mrs. Colombi, friendly personalities of Morocco, made a 10-day trip to China at the invitation of CICA. They visited Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai.

28. From November 15 to 21, a 4-member delegation from Hu Zhimin Music Institute in Vietnam visited China at the invitation of CICA. The delegation also visited Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and other places.

29. From November 5 to 8, the exhibition in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Chinese Painting Department in Japan Academy of Fine Arts was on display at Beijing Working People’s Culture Palace. The exhibition was hosted by CICA and presented by China Central Academy of Fine Arts.

30. From November 25, 1997 to January 4, 1998, “Aqueous Meteor” performing group from Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe, under the arrangement of CICA, participated in the performance of Connelly Circus in Switzerland at the invitation of Jmens Agency in UK.

31. From November 25, 1997 to January 2, 1998, a dual-pole-climbing group from Shenyang Acrobatic Troupe attended the performance of Connelly Circus in Switzerland under the arrangement of CICA.

32. On December 27, at the invitation of Hailin Trading Company in Republic of Korea, a three-month Grand Exhibition of Chinese Culture was held in Republic of Korea under the auspices of CICA. Lv Zhixian, Vice Chairman of CICA, attended the opening ceremony.

33. From December 20, 1997 to January 5, 1998, a 13-member delegation from The Flag Acrobatic Troupe of the political Department of Chengdu Military Region performed in Germany at the invitation of KOKO Company in Germany.

34. In December, a 3-member delegation headed by Alexander Grechaninov made a 7 to 10-day visit to China at the invitation of CICA.