DHAKA, Jan. 22: China Spring Festival Fair 2010 was inaugurated Friday in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka to promote Chinese culture in the South Asian country.

Bangladeshi Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain said at the opening ceremony that China and Bangladesh have a lot of exchange programs on culture since the diplomatic relations was established in 1975.

"The exchange and cooperation on culture have brought the Chinese and Bangladeshi people together," Hossain said.

"I hope we will have more and more culture exchange programs in the future," he said.

Wang Yu, charge d'affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, said at the same function that Spring Festival is the Chinese lunar new year and it has some similarities with the Bangladeshi new year regarding to celebrations.

Wang said 2010 is the 35 years anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh. He hoped the cultural relationship between the two countries will be further strengthened and promoted.

An art troupe from Chinese Yunnan province presented wonderful performances in the opening ceremony. The Bangladeshi students who are learning Chinese in Confucius Institute, Confucius Class, and Chinese Department of Dhaka University also presented their performances, including dancing, singing, and Chinese martial art.

Some Chinese restaurants in Bangladesh showed delicious Chinese food at the fair.

Qian Kaifu, cultural councilor of the Chinese Embassy, told Xinhua that China Spring Festival Fair 2010 includes a series of programs including singing and dancing performances, food fair, Chinese photo exhibition and Chinese film week.

"The organizations which are teaching Chinese in Bangladesh and some civilian organizations which are friendly to China will also organize programs to celebrate Chinese Spring Festival," he said.

"These programs are also part of China Spring Festival Fair 2010," he added.

Editor: Li Cheng