Manila — On the afternoon of September 12 local time, "Chongqing Meets Manila – A Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration" opened at SM Mall of Asia in Manila, the Philippines. Representatives of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, the Philippine Department of Tourism and the city government of Manila joined around 400 guests from political, business, cultural, educational and tourism circles of both countries, together with overseas Chinese, international students, and business and media representatives.

A cultural performance, seven themed exhibitions and a series of city and brand presentations brought Chongqing to Manila in different ways. Bayu culture, Mid-Autumn traditions, Chongqing cuisine and "Made in Chongqing" innovations were on full display, while exchanges and cooperation in culture and tourism, education, automotive and aviation moved forward side by side.

The event was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and the Information Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, organized by the West China International Communication Center (WCICO), and supported by the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Committee, Southwest University, Chongqing Vocational College of Culture and Arts, and Changan Automobile, among others. The festival runs through September 13 and is open to the general Filipino public, foreign tourists in the Philippines, and local university students.

Chinese and Filipino Guests Discuss Exchange and Cooperation

That afternoon, the opening tune "Bayu Impression" set the event in motion.

In his speech, Zhou Zhiyong, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, extended a warm welcome to the guests on behalf of the embassy and expressed thanks to the Chongqing delegation and all staff whose hard work made the event possible. He noted that the Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes reunion, remembrance and good wishes, and that although China and the Philippines face each other across the sea, the two peoples share the same cherishing of family, affection, friendship and a better life.

Zhou Zhiyong, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, delivers his speech. (Photo: WCICO)

"For a thousand years, the Maritime Silk Road has brought not only trade in goods, but also exchanges in culture, art, ideas and friendship between China and the Philippines. Today, through an event, a conversation, a dish and a smile, we come to know each other better and grow closer," he said. He also took the occasion to send Mid-Autumn greetings to every friend present.

Maria Christina G. Aquino, Assistant Secretary for Tourism Regulation and Coordination of the Philippine Department of Tourism, delivered a speech on behalf of the department. "China is currently the Philippines' fourth-largest tourist source market, and as of September 9 we had welcomed nearly 320,000 Chinese tourist arrivals. We are delighted to take part in the 'Chongqing Meets Manila' Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration — from the tea art installation and hands-on mooncake making to classic Chinese cuisine, I have already tasted some of them in advance, and they were all delicious. May this festival bring warmth, prosperity and the joy of reunion to you and your families."

Maria Christina G. Aquino, Assistant Secretary for Tourism Regulation and Coordination of the Philippine Department of Tourism, delivers her speech on behalf of the department. (Photo: WCICO)

Wu Changfan, Deputy Director-General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, extended sincere greetings to the guests on behalf of the Information Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government. He noted that although Chongqing and Manila are far apart across mountains and seas, they are now closely connected by a newly launched air corridor. With this event as a new starting point, Chongqing looks forward to further deepening cooperation with Manila in people-to-people exchanges, mutual cultural and tourism promotion, and economic and trade engagement, and welcomes more Philippine friends to visit Chongqing and experience the unique charm of "Majestic Landscapes, Dynamic Chongqing."

Wu Changfan, Deputy Director-General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, delivers his speech. (Photo: WCICO)

Zhang Hongmei, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Chongqing Daily News Group, then presented the image of Chongqing. Using the five letters of "CHARM" — Culture, Hub, Advanced Industries, Rivers and Modernity — she introduced the city to the guests and the Filipino public.

Zhang Hongmei, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Chongqing Daily News Group, presents the image of Chongqing. (Photo: WCICO)

"Chongqing, a megacity in western China, with its outstanding locational advantages, solid industrial foundation, rich tourism resources and profound cultural appeal, is becoming a land of development full of boundless possibilities," Zhang said.

Ryan Chen, a well-known influencer from Chongqing, together with Richard Juan and other popular Filipino content creators, also shared their experiences and impressions of Chongqing from the May "Chongqing Meets Manila" campaign. "One thing I love about Chongqing: we have everything, basically. It's a capsule of everything — we have mountains, we have rivers, we have skyscrapers, we have great food, nice people, and of course, trains go through the buildings," Chen said. Speaking of Mid-Autumn customs, he said that people in Chongqing, like Chinese across the country, eat mooncakes during the festival, and that his favorite is the traditional egg-yolk mooncake. Extending an invitation to his Filipino friends, he said: "If you have one day, or probably around three days, you go to Chongqing and have a great time."

Ryan Chen, a well-known influencer from Chongqing, shares his experience of the May "Chongqing Meets Manila" campaign. (Photo: WCICO)

Bayu Culture Meets Filipino Audiences

After the launching ceremony, the Mid-Autumn cultural performance began.

From the women's group dance "Gazing at the Moon Beneath Autumn Eaves," the instrumental ensemble "Melody of the Cloud Palace," and the bassoon solo "Shandandan Blossoms Red," to the male trio dance "One Moon Across the World, Dancing in Harmony," the programs presented Chinese culture and Bayu characteristics from different angles. Chinese and Filipino performers also jointly performed "When Will the Moon Be Bright," blending poetry recitation, live calligraphy and chorus into one.

Beyond the stage, the "What Is Chongqing" city image photo exhibition, the "China, An Opportunity: Chongqing Brands" photo exhibition and themed display zones opened at the same time. Trendy mascots and interactive photo sessions extended into the mall's public spaces, attracting local residents and tourists.

An overseas Chinese audience member was visibly moved after watching the show: "Seeing such a grand Mid-Autumn event in a foreign country deeply touched my heart. It is hard to find Chinese food abroad, and today I enjoyed mooncakes provided on site. At Mid-Autumn, being able to reunite with fellow Chinese here in the Philippines is exactly what the ancient verse describes — 'Though a thousand miles apart, we share the same beautiful moon.'"

Seven Themed Exhibitions: Discover Chongqing in One Venue

In Chongqing's dedicated exhibition zone, themes covering culture, tourism, education, cuisine, smart manufacturing, traditional Chinese medicine and brand presentations were on display.

From Chongqing's intangible cultural heritage and tourism resources to the "Study in Chongqing" program; from specialty foods such as hotpot and Chongqing noodles to "Made in Chongqing" products such as new energy vehicles; from traditional Chinese medicine wellness experiences to showcases of Chongqing enterprises and brands — Filipino visitors could explore the city's urban life, cultural features and industrial development through the different booths.

Angela Lei "Chi" Atienza, Vice Mayor of the City of Manila, attends the festival and gives an interview. (Photo: WCICO)

In an on-site interview, Angela Lei "Chi" Atienza, Vice Mayor of the City of Manila, said that the reunion and sharing embodied in the Mid-Autumn Festival closely echo the values of family and community cherished in Filipino culture, and that the Philippines and China share a common love of food — many dishes even share similar names. Noting that Manila is home to Binondo, the biggest and the oldest Chinatown in the world, she said: "Yearly in the City of Manila we hold a lot of different festivals just to be able to cater to our Filipino-Chinese community, because they help our economy greatly, and with that we really support them." she said. She added that China's provinces today are each distinctive and competitive, with innovation at the world's forefront; Chongqing's applications in artificial intelligence and robotics are particulary impressive, and Manila hopes to deepen exchanges with Chongqing in these fields and draw on its modernization experience.

From Cultural Exchange to Broader Practical Cooperation

The same day, the "China, An Opportunity: Chongqing Brands" promotion conference was held.

Zhang Li, Member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Committee, gave a special presentation on regional development and cooperation opportunities. He noted that "Liangjiang-made" new energy vehicles are now running through the streets of Philippine cities, the "HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound)" technology developed by Liangjiang enterprises has brought health benefits to local patients, and Liangjiang New Area is home to two-thirds of the Philippine enterprises in Chongqing.

Zhang Li, Member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Committee, gives a special presentation. (Photo: WCICO)

At the conference, Happyyou International Travel from Liangjiang New Area signed a cooperation agreement with Philippine tourism organizations. "The Mid-Autumn moon shines without borders, just as true friendship needs no words," Zhang said. "Today's signing between our tourism organizations marks the first step of our practical cooperation. As the ancient verse goes, a thousand rivers carry a thousand moons, and across ten thousand miles the moonlight carries ten thousand bonds of affection. Let this Mid-Autumn Festival be our pledge and Liangjiang our bridge, as we join hands to write a new chapter of friendship and cooperation."

Happyyou International Travel from Liangjiang New Area signs a cooperation agreement with Philippine tourism organizations. (Photo: WCICO)

Afterwards, Southwest University and Chongqing Vocational College of Culture and Arts presented the "Study in Chongqing" brand and related study opportunities to Filipino youth, Changan Automobile presented the "Made in Chongqing – Automobile" brand, and the Manila Office of Air China introduced the Chongqing–Manila direct flight route.

This event is a continuation of the May "Flying Across Mountains and Seas: Chongqing Meets Manila" twin-city screen-linking campaign. Four months later, Chongqing's culture, tourism resources, universities and enterprises have come to Manila, extending the online attention generated earlier into face-to-face city exchanges and industrial matchmaking.

From cultural experiences to city presentations, from university exchanges to brand showcases, this two-day street culture festival not only presented Chongqing in full, but also provided a face-to-face platform for Chongqing and the Philippines to explore further cooperation opportunities in culture and tourism, education, automotive and other fields.