SCO Summit gala illuminates Qingdao’s coastline

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As the 2018 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit got underway on Saturday in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao, the curtain rose to a spectacular gala show at the International Sailing Center.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of the other seven SCO member countries as well as the four observer states attended the grand event to mark the opening of the SCO Qingdao Summit.

The prelude to the gala, the “Splendor of the SCO,” was a display of stunning views from all the SCO member countries.

Entitled “A Warm Welcome to Friends from Afar,” the gala combined traditional Chinese culture with modern technology.

The stage of the Qingdao SCO Summit gala set on sea. /VCG Photo

The show is the brainchild of Zhang Yimou, one of China’s most renowned film directors who had been preparing for the show for at least half a year.

Zhang is also the director for the Hangzhou G20 Summit gala and the Beijing eight-minute show at PyeongChang 2018 Olympics closing ceremony.

The program successfully merged the urban landscape of the coastal city with a virtual world of wonders.

A close-up at the gala

Performers on stage for the Qingdao SCO Summit gala set on sea. /VCG Photo

The tunes of China’s most ancient instrument Guqin heralded the first chapter of the gala, "A Moonlight Night," featuring traditional Chinese culture.

Traditional dances, and other instruments such as Guzheng and Chinese drums were also featured.

The second chapter "The Charm of Shandong" focused on the local culture and traditions of the eastern Chinese province. Local folk songs were played, and traditional crafts were presented.

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The third chapter “Nation of Peace and Prosperity” was a panorama of the modern life of the Chinese people. Displaying images of thousands of people smiling, the performance aimed at presenting a direct expression of what a good life means for ordinary people.

The third chapter of the gala /CGTN Photo

In the fourth chapter “Toward a Better Future,” the performers conveyed the hopes of people around the world.

The show kicked off with a piece of traditional Chinese music “Plum Blossom Melody” and ended with Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto No. 1”.

The fourth chapter of the gala /CGTN Photo

Zhang said during an interview with the China Media Group, a platform created by the merger of China's biggest broadcasters including CGTN, that the gala opened with the traditional culture of China and ended with the whole world in mind.

What were highlights of the gala?

The stage was built on the sea, with the night sky and the city’s landscape as its background. Using cutting-edge technologies in video display and projection, the coastline of the city seamlessly blended in with the stage.

At the center of the stage, a sphere had been installed, signifying the globe.

Performers on stage for the Qingdao SCO Summit gala set on sea. /VCG Photo

Zhang said it was the first time that such a grand stage combining the sea and the city had been built for a gala to mark a summit's opening.

The last chapter of the show “Community with a Shared Future” set off the much-anticipated light and fireworks display, illuminating the night sky.

On Sunday, the leaders of the SCO member states and observer states, as well as the heads of international organizations will hold small- and large-scale talks to discuss further cooperation and the prospects of the organization.

Click the link for a replay of CGTN live coverage.

For more:

SCO 2018 Summit: What’s on the agenda

Intro 101: Everything you need to know about the SCO

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