1. From January 21 to 23, Happy Chinese New Year - Charming Beijing took center stage at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. The event was sponsored by CICA, the Beijing Association for Foreign Cultural Exchange and the Beverly Hills City Conference and Tourism Bureau. Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles, Liu Jian; his wife; the mayor of Beverly Hills; Assistant Secretary-General of CICA, Shi Jiandong and other representatives of China and the US, with nearly 2,000 residents attended the activity. The mayor of Beverly Hills spoke highly of the event. This event was strongly supported by the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles.

2. On March 15, Wang Chen, Deputy Secretary-General of CICA and Assistant Director of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture, met with Monique Knapen, the Program Director China of the Dutch Culture Center for International Cooperation, and other 2 representatives, to discuss cooperation projects between both sides, such as the future exchange and training about museum affairs and the exhibition holding in China by the Netherlands.

3. From March 26 to April 9, CICA invited Professor Stephen C. Angle, a famous American cultural academic from Wesleyan University, to visit China and conduct academic communications in Beijing, Nanchang, Hangzhou, Yuyao and Guiyang.

4. On April 6, Ding Wei, Vice President of CICA and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, met with the 8 people's delegation from Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association. Ding welcomed the visitors and said that the Chinese government always pays attention to the cultural communication and cooperation between China and Japan, which plays an important role in enhancing the understanding and friendship between the two peoples. He pointed out that although sometimes the relationship between China and Japan could be difficult, the prospect of cultural exchanges is promising. Ding hoped that Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association can make new contributions on strengthening the cultural communication and enhancing the friendship between both peoples in the future. One of the representatives said that as close neighbors in Asia, it is the common aspiration of the two peoples to live in friendship and peace. Her and the association were willing to make continuous efforts to promote the understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Zhang Aiping and other Vice Presidents of CICA attended the meeting as well.

5. On April 17, Wang Chen, Deputy Secretary-General of CICA and Assistant Director of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture, met with Mr. Huang Weiwen, the President of Panamanian Chinese Chamber of Commerce and his two companions. They had a detailed discussion on the issue of sending the Chinese Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe to 5 Latin American countries in August to carry out cultural exchanges.

6. From April 24 to May 4, at the invitation of CICA, Cape Verde-China Friendship Association organized a Cape Verde band of 11 people to visit China and perform in Beijing, Qingdao and Chengdu.

7. On April 27, the "Belt and Road Initiative" themed China-Turkey Cooperation Forum and Turkey's 2nd China Research Conference were held in Ankara Hilton Hotel in Turkey. The event was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Turkey, CICA, Ankara Center for Policy Research and Turkey Foundation for Academic and Cultural Research. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, Yu Hongyang, Chinese Ambassador to Turkey and Wang Chen, Deputy Secretary-General of CICA and Assistant Director of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture, addressed the opening ceremony. Many representatives from the Turkish government as well as teachers and students from universities attended the meeting. Some media, such as local Turkish state television TRT, China's China Central Television and others covered the conference. 22 scholars from Turkish think tanks and universities and 4 experts from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences delivered speeches on their respective topics.

8. From May 8 to 16, CICA and China Oriental Performing Arts Group Co Ltd held "Art Professional and Management Talents International Exchange Program Series - 2017 International Master Class on Performing Arts" in Beijing, focusing on improvisation. This class invited 3 foreign experts from Canada and the US to tutor 55 directors and actors from domestic art institutions. The famous Keith Johnstone's improv system was applied by these experts, which was also helpful to the training and improvement of other art forms, such as dance, opera and vocals.

9. At the invitation of the organizing committee of the 8th Iguazú en Concierto, a traditional Chinese instrumental orchestra made up of 16 students from the College of Chinese Opera of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, took part in the festival in Argentina from May 20 to June 1. This event is an important part of CICA's Oriental Express project. The group was sent by CICA and the Shanghai International Culture Association, and it performed at the Golden Hall of the City Council in Buenos Aires on May 30. The first Deputy Speaker of the City Council in Buenos Aires Carmen Bolero, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Argentina Yang Chuanying and Chinese Councilman from the City Council in Buenos Aires Yuan Jianping gave speeches, and more than 300 people from all walks of life in Argentina watched the performance.

10. From July 31 to August 4, the "International Exchange Project for Chinese Talents of Arts Creation and Arts Management - 2017 International Advanced Seminar on Handicrafts Design" was held by CICA, China Cultural Media Group Co Ltd and Capital Museum in Beijing, inviting 3 foreign experts from the US, France and Japan in the field of handicrafts design, and domestic experts to carry out a series of communications such as lectures, workshops and case analysis.

11. From August 11 to 17, the "International Exchange Project for Chinese Talents of Arts Creation and Arts Management - 2017 Master Class on Theatre Education" was held by CICA and China National Theater for Children in Beijing, inviting 3 experts from the Children's Theater of Charlotte of the US to deliver lectures.

12. From August 12 to 20, a dance troupe from Haiti held its debut show in Beijing and would tour in the Eastern Chinese cities of Dezhou and Jinan, both in Shandong province, at the invitation of CICA. This troupe was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of the Republic of Haiti.

13. On August 12, the 10th China International Youth Arts Festival started at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. The festival, organized by CICA and China Arts and Entertainment Group, saw 115 shows from 36 countries and regions presented in Beijing and 11 other cities in three weeks. Apart from concerts, dances, chamber music, operas and musicals, various artistic activities covering exhibitions, forums as well as art education and training were also highlights of the festival. As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China International Youth Art Festival, Hong Kong art delegations were specially invited to exchange and interact with the young artistic talents in the Chinese mainland. In addition, from this year, youth cultural exchange and cooperation of art education would be conducted with member units of "International Theatre Alliance along Silk Road", and this year turned Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Romania.

14. From August 14 to September 3, at the invitation of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Panama, the Camara de Comerclo de EnPing de Costa Rica, the Belize China Hall and the Colombian Asian Cultural Foundation, CICA sent 32 people from the China Disabled People's Art Troupe to Panama, Costa Rica, Belize and Colombia to visit and perform.

15. From September 19 to 22, the "International Exchange Project for Chinese Talents of Arts Creation and Arts Management - 2017 Advanced Seminar on Art Museum Management" was held by CICA and National Art Museum of China in Beijing, inviting 3 foreign experts from the Netherlands, the US and the UK as well as domestic experts to carry out a series of communications, including lectures, workshops and case analysis.

16. From October 25 to 31, cooperated with Fudan University, CICA held the "Exchange of Chinese and Foreign Scholars from the Comparison of the History and Culture of the Yangtze River and the Rhine River". 30 first-class scholars from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the US and China (including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) were invited to participate in the seminar and carry out cultural resource researches in the Yangtze River Delta region.

17. The Portuguese modern art exhibition entitled "A Possible Breeze Whispers" kicked off on November 1 at the Beijing Minsheng Art Museum and would continue until November 15. The exhibition was held by CICA and the Fundação Oriente in Portugal and showcased 41 pieces (sets) of works from five Portuguese artists, 15 of which would be exhibited at the Second Silk Road International Cultural Expo in Dunhuang from September 20 to October 10.

18. From November 29 to December 4, CICA organized a Chinese Kunqu Opera delegation to visit Portugal at the invitation of the Oriental Museum in Portugal. Led by the renowned Kunqu Opera artist and Deputy Secretary-General of Beijing Opera Critics Society Dong Fei, actor Wang Chen from the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre and playwright Wang Yan, the delegation paid a visit to Portugal. The Kunqu Opera Peony Pavilion made its debut December 1 at the theater of the Oriental Museum in Lisbon. Cai Run, Chinese Ambassador to Portugal; Shu Jianping, Cultural Counselor of the Embassy and local audiences watched the performance. A number of events took place during the visit besides the Kunqu Opera performances, such as two lectures respectively themed on the "Artistic Life of Mei Lanfang" and "Chinese Kunqu Opera", and a Chinese opera art workshop.