STORY: 30th Panda competition highlights Australia-China cultural links
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 6, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 8, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:47
LOCATION: Canberra
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE (English): XIAO QIAN, Chinese Ambassador to Australia
2. various of the awarding ceremony

STORYLINE:

Australian children in Canberra were awarded on Wednesday for their paintings, sculptures, poems, creative collages and constructions surrounding the subject of "the Chinese and the Australian gold rushes."
   
The Panda Competition, which is its 30th edition this year, is to encourage Australian school students to increase their knowledge of Chinese culture and history, said Carol Keil, president of the Australia China Friendship Society, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Branch, the event's organizer.
   
Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian told the awarding ceremony that he highly appreciated Australian children's interest in Chinese culture, history and art.

SOUNDBITE (English): XIAO QIAN, Chinese Ambassador to Australia
"Through culture, we understand each other and appreciate each other. We know that China and Australia are two different countries, but there's much more we share in common. That's why, over the past several decades, our two countries have been developing friendly, cooperative, and constructive relationships."
   
Starting in 1995, the Panda Competition was named after its first-year activity under the theme of giant panda. Each year, the competition chooses a different theme related to China, mostly of traditional Chinese culture, for the ACT primary and secondary school students to participate.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Canberra.
(XHTV)