CEBU, Philippines - Consul General Shi Yong of the People's Republic of China attended the Cebu City Public Library's celebration of the Chinese New Year yesterday afternoon.
For the Cebuanos to get to know more about Chinese culture, the Youth for a Livable Cebu organized several activities like film screening of Chinese movies, serving of Chinese cuisine (pika-pika), and demonstrating basic Chinese calligraphy.
To increase the patronage of the library, Cebu City Public Library Librarian Rosario Chua said they created a Chinese corner where library visitors can go to enhance their understanding of the Chinese culture and language.
Supporting the project of the library, Shi said public libraries are important.
"When I was in New York working as the consulate general there several years ago, [the] consulate general also [has] good relations with New York public library like here. They also have Chinese center [t]here, they also have Korean center, Japanese center," Shi said.
Shi said it is important for a country to learn about other countries too, "to have more understanding, more friendship, and then push forward cooperation."
"China and the Philippines are close neighbors, we should have more cooperation because now we have very friendly neighborly relations," he said.
Shi added that the Chinese language is popular in the world, even in the United States with Chinese language schools in New York that are open during the weekends.
He said almost half of the students in these language schools are not Chinese, but were locals there instead coming from different ethnic groups.
He said they are planning to hold more activities with the library, adding that they are planning to bringing Chinese performers to do a show at the library this February.
Shi is also very glad that local organizations are also celebrating the Chinese New Year. — Vania Mae Lim (FREEMAN)