Africa-Press – Mauritius. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between Mauritius and China, the Mauritius Chinese Culture and Arts Committee and China Town Foundation signed, today during a live virtual ceremony, a strategic cooperation agreement with the Guangdong Han Opera Inheritance Research Institute to establish the very first Guangdong Han Opera Overseas Inheritance and Promotion Center in Port Louis.
The signatories were the President of the China Town Foundation in Mauritius, Mr Jean Paul Lam, and the Dean of the Guangdong Hang Opera Inheritance Research Institute, Mr Zhang Guangwu.
The Member of Parliament and Ambassador of the China Town Foundation, Mrs Sandra Mayotte; and the Lord Mayor, Mr Mahfooz Moussa Cadersaib, the Consul of the Chinese Embassy to Mauritius, Mr Pu, were also present.
In her address, Mrs Sandra Mayotte underlined the strong friendly ties which bind Mauritius and China. She recalled that official diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in April 1972 and, since then, relations between Mauritius and China have been strong and have seen steady development.
She further acknowledged the significant contribution of the Chinese population, who first arrived in Mauritius in the 18th century, in the construction and development of the country. She recalled that the Chinese Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1908 in Mauritius and is the second oldest overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
The first Memorandum of Understanding between Mauritius and China was signed in April 1972 and the first Chinese Cultural Centre, set up in 1988, is the first cultural center set up overseas by the Chinese Government, she said.
Mrs Mayotte observed that, over the years, the bilateral relations between the two countries have strengthened, with China extending interest-free loans to Mauritius or at a preferential rate.
Furthermore, she stated that China stands with Mauritius in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and has donated vaccines and medical supplies to the country.
Speaking about the establishment of the first Guangdong Han Opera Overseas Inheritance and Promotion Center in Port Louis, she rejoiced that the project will enhance the Chinese art and culture aspect in Mauritius and take it to new heights.
As regards the Guangdong Han Opera, she highlighted that it is well known around the world. It is hailed as the “Peony of South China” and is one of the top three operas in Guangdong, she said.
Intervening virtually, the Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC of the Meizhou Municipality, Minister of Propaganda Department, Mr Zhang Yunquan, stated that the aim to open the first Opera in Mauritius is to better spread the traditional Chinese culture and traditional Chinese opera for the inheritance and promotion of Hakka culture.
Mauritians, he added, will get the chance discover and participate in Chinese opera for the first time in history. The Chinese culture being well rooted in Mauritius, the Han Opera Centre will conserve the traditional Chinese culture in Mauritius and share it worldwide, he said.
Guangdong Han Opera Guangdong Han Opera originated in Dabu, a county in the east of Meizhou City, in eastern Guangdong. As early as the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Han Opera houses existed there.
The Dabu County Han Opera Troupe is the only county-level professional Han Opera troupe in Guangdong. Over its long history, Guangdong Han Opera has developed into a complete artistic system with distinctive local characteristics.
It has more than 800 traditional programmes. In the 1950s, artists of Han Opera from Dabu, represented by Huang Linchuan and Huang Guizhu, enjoyed good reputations in Lingnan regions: Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan and Jiangxi.
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