Chongqing - On the evening of September 7, the Chongqing Jialing River Cableway Museum was aglow with lights reflecting off the river, as the event "Chongqing Meets El Salvador: A Cultural Dialogue through Music and Images" gracefully unfolded. Jointly organized by the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development and the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Chongqing Municipality, the event showcased the cultural charm of both regions through captivating performances and visual storytelling.

Distinguished guests in attendance included H.E. Luis López, Ambassador of El Salvador to China, Mr. Zhu Mao, Deputy Director-General of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism, consular officials based in Chongqing, and representatives from the cultural, tourism, business, and educational sectors. Artists from the Salvadoran trio OPUS 503 and Chongqing-based performers shared the stage, using culture as a bond to build new bridges of friendship between China and Latin America.

This event marks a significant step in deepening practical cooperation between Chongqing and El Salvador, while also adding a new highlight to the “Telling Chongqing to the World” initiative. It is reported that the two regions have maintained frequent exchanges in high-level visits, regional friendships, and economic and trade cooperation. Through music, imagery, and exhibitions, the event further promoted mutual cultural appreciation, showcasing Chongqing’s diverse and open urban identity as well as the unique charm of Sino-Latin American civilizational integration.

In his speech, Mr. Zhu Mao emphasized that El Salvador is an important partner for China in Central America. As Chongqing accelerates its development into a world-renowned cultural and tourist destination, the city highly values its exchanges and cooperation with El Salvador. In recent years, positive outcomes have been continuously achieved across trade, culture, and local diplomacy. The signing of a memorandum of understanding on friendly city relations between Chongqing and the central municipality of San Salvador has laid a solid foundation for deeper collaboration. This event reflects Chongqing’s ongoing commitment to expanding its global network of friendships.

Ambassador López praised Chongqing as a dynamic hub of cultural development and innovation in western China. He noted that OPUS 503’s decision to choose Chongqing for their debut performance in China vividly illustrates the growing ties between the two regions. “El Salvador boasts a 300-kilometer golden Pacific coastline, ancient Mayan ruins, volcanic landscapes, and is known as a ‘land of hospitality,’” said Ambassador López, inviting the audience to explore his country’s unique appeal. He expressed hope that the event would inject new energy into tourism and cultural cooperation.

The Salvadoran trio OPUS 503, composed of Esaú, Mauro, and José, is celebrated for blending classical opera arias with pop music. Having performed at international events such as the 60th-anniversary celebration of the European Union, the ensemble presented seven classic pieces, adapted versions of a Salvadoran musical treasure. Their passionate performance, full of infectious energy, won continuous applause and immersed the audience in the distinctive charm of Latin American music.

“Music transcends borders and touches the soul. In an interview, it is a powerful medium for showcasing El Salvador to the world,” said OPUS 503. “The audience's smiles reassure us that music is a wonderful bridge for cultural exchange.” The artists described their Chongqing visit as breathtaking and expressed hope that it would be the first of many visits, paving the way for more Salvadoran artists to engage culturally with China. The band will continue their tour with performances in Japan and South Korea.

A promotional video of El Salvador was also screened. It featured stunning natural and urban scenery, such as Lake Coatepeque and El Centro Island Beach Resort Boracay, drawing admiration from the audience.

Chongqing artists then took the stage with performances rich in local Bayu culture. A Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum representative performed the guqin piece “High Mountains and Flowing Water,” evoking traditional Eastern aesthetics with its elegant melody. The folk band San Ren performed “Climbing the South Hill” and “Roaming the Land of Ba,” blending classical poetry with ethnic musical styles to depict Chongqing’s landscape and culture. A female vocal group from the Chongqing Public Cultural Art Center performed “Gan Qiu,” conveying the rich folk customs of the Bayu region. These performances fully demonstrated the profound cultural heritage of Chongqing.

Another highlight was the concurrent photo exhibition. Over 40 images from El Salvador and Chongqing featured natural landscapes and cultural symbols. These images offered guests an intuitive sense of the two regions’ historical legacy and vibrant modernity.

A Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Department representative noted that Chongqing has built a multi-role communication network involving diplomats, international students, overseas Chinese, and foreign media through the “Telling Chongqing to the World” initiative. In the first half of this year, the number of inbound tourists in Chongqing increased by 77.2% year-on-year, with their spending growing by 90.2%. Cultural and tourism consumption has become a vital engine in building an international consumption center city. This cultural exchange with El Salvador will further expand Chongqing’s channels of communication with Latin America and lay a solid foundation for future cultural, tourism, and economic cooperation.

This cultural exchange, set to the universal language of music, allowed Chongqing citizens to appreciate the warmth and charm of El Salvador and also demonstrated Chongqing’s open and inclusive character to the world. Moving forward, Chongqing will continue to extend invitations through cultural and tourism exchanges, allowing more countries to experience the diverse vitality of Chinese culture through “Chongqing stories” and promoting even more brilliant achievements in mutual learning among civilizations.