Overseas Chinese teenagers experience homeland's culture in Xiamen

A summer camp to experience traditional Chinese culture for 54 teenagers from the United States and Italy with Chinese ethnicity takes place on July 25. [Photo/fo.xm.gov.cn]

A summer camp for Chinese US and Italian teenagers began in Xiamen, Fujian province, on July 25.

A total of 54 students growing up abroad attended the 12-day camp.

Li Yongbin, director of the cultural promotion department of Xiamen's foreign and overseas Chinese affairs office, said at the launch that he hoped all the students could enjoys the charms of Chinese culture during the summer camp.

Cai Zhiqun, the teacher in charge of the Chinese US teenagers, said that it was a great opportunity for the students to experience their homeland's profound and colorful culture and its prosperous development.

Cai Yining, a student from Italy, was taking part in her second such summer camp. The first was in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, which made her take a fancy to Chinese culture and the language. That's why she signed up for the camp this year.

During the Xiamen camp, the students will learn different Chinese arts, including wash painting, tai chi, calligraphy, paper cutting and playing the guzheng, a 21-or 25-stringed plucked instrument similar to a zither.

Trips to see the sights of Xiamen will also be included.

The summer camp is sponsored by China's State Council and organized by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Fujian Provincial Government and the Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Xiamen Municipal Government.

The summer camp's organizers and the 54 Chinese US and Italian teenagers pose for a group photo. [Photo/fo.xm.gov.cn]