A delegation from south China's Guangdong Province launched a series of cultural exchange events in Papua New Guinea, as the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and seek to expand people-to-people exchanges.
The "2026 Charming China (Guangdong): Lingnan Culture Travels to the South Pacific" series opened at Butuka Academy in Port Moresby on July 31. The venue featured performances, exhibitions and interactive cultural workshops showcasing Guangdong's traditional and contemporary culture.
The Guangdong cultural delegation presents Guangdong-featured cultural products to representatives from various sectors in Papua New Guinea.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea Justin Tkatchenko meets with Deng Hong, Deputy Director General of the Information Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province.
Group photo of the Guangdong cultural delegation, Papua New Guinea government representatives, local guests and students.
The events came during the 2026 APEC "China Year" and coincided with the 10th anniversary of the friendship-city partnership between Shenzhen and Port Moresby.
At the opening ceremony, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea Justin Tkatchenko said China's support in education, healthcare and other sectors had made a tangible contribution to the country's development, citing Butuka Academy, built with assistance from Shenzhen, as a lasting symbol of the friendship between the two countries.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea Justin Tkatchenko delivers a speech.
Tkatchenko reaffirmed Papua New Guinea's commitment to the one-China principle and said he and Prime Minister James Marape would travel to Shenzhen for APEC meetings later this year.
Yang Xiaoguang, Chinese Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, and Deng Hong, Deputy Director General of the Information Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, expressed the hope that the events would help deepen cultural exchanges and create new opportunities for practical cooperation between the two sides.
Chinese Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Yang Xiaoguang delivers a speech.
Deng Hong, Deputy Director General of the Information Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, delivers a speech.
Artists from Guangdong and Papua New Guinea shared the stage in a performance that blended the two cultures, featuring traditional Papua New Guinean dance alongside Lingnan dance, puppetry, martial arts and Cantonese opera. The show concluded with performers and students from Butuka Academy singing together.
The Guangdong cultural delegation presents a magic performance.
Artists from the Guangdong cultural delegation perform Cantonese opera.
The performances drew an enthusiastic response from students and teachers at Butuka Academy, who said the series of events was among the most impressive cultural activities held at the school.
Teachers and students of Butuka Academy attend the opening ceremony.
Yang Xiaoguang praised the series as "a great success."
Ni Cragnolini, the Board Chairperson for Butuka Academy, said that experiencing Lingnan culture up close would plant the seeds of friendship in young people. She believed culture, education and technology would be key areas for future cooperation.
An accompanying exhibition displayed more than 60 items, featuring traditional Lingnan crafts such as Guangzhou painted porcelain, Cantonese embroidery, gambiered Guangdong silk and Chaozhou woodcarving alongside contemporary cultural products, including merchandise inspired by the Chinese white dolphin mascots of China's 15th National Games.
The exhibition attracted strong interest from visitors. Justin Tkatchenko and Yang Xiaoguang spent time touring the displays. The foreign minister stopped to ask about several exhibits and tried out a stringless electric guitar.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea Justin Tkatchenko (left) tries out a stringless electric guitar made in Guangdong.
Students of Butuka Academy gather around the display of Guangdong trendy toys and cultural products.
Several Guangdong cultural institutions, including the Guangdong Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Guangdong Publishing Group and Guangdong Radio and Television, donated books and cultural gifts to Butuka Academy.
South, the international communication center under Nanfang Media Group (Nanfang Daily), also hosted a storytelling session featuring a member of the Chinese community and a Papua New Guinean who had studied in Guangdong to share their experiences, which highlighted business and educational links between the two sides.
In cooperation with local Chinese enterprises, South also opened a showcase window of Guangdong goods at a supermarket, introducing food and cultural merchandise from the province to local consumers.
Since 2024, Guangdong has taken its serial cultural events to countries including Indonesia, Hungary, Fiji, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Through performances, exhibitions and workshops, the events offer a window into Guangdong and China.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea, the Guangdong cultural delegation was the first provincial-level delegation from China to visit the country since the Papua New Guinea government closed the "Taipei Economic Office in Papua New Guinea" on July 15.
Reporters | Chen Siyuan, Huang Xinyi
Photo | Guo Hongda
