Shanghai concert celebrates China-US relations

A concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Shanghai Communique, which was issued on Feb 28, 1972 and marked the beginning of the normalization of Sino-US relations, was held in Shanghai on Monday.

The Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra opened the concert with Prelude to Celebration of China-US Relations and Cooperation and followed by America the Beautiful, a song played at the first welcome dinner for Richard Nixon, then president of the United States, when he made the historic visit to China in 1972.

The Philadelphia Orchestra, the first American orchestra to play in the People's Republic of China in 1973, performed Butterfly Lovers, a famous Chinese orchestral piece, in a prerecorded video for the concert.

Nicholas Platt, senior advisor of the Philadelphia Orchestra and a young diplomat during Nixon's trip and the orchestra's China tour, also sent a congratulatory speech for the concert.

"What I learned from the orchestra's visit was that cultural exchange is one the most powerful ways people can connect to one another," he said. "I've taken that important lesson through life with me, that music has always been and will always be a profound way of joining hands."

Liao Changyong, renowned Chinese baritone singer, sang Redwood, a song composed in honor of the redwood tree planted by Nixon in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, during his 1972 visit.

US business representatives in Shanghai, students from the Shanghai American School, Shanghai Little Star Art Troup and Little Companion Art Troupe of China Welfare Institute Children's Place sang Jasmine Flower, a traditional folk song in China which has gained popularity abroad.

"I am very happy to be part of the performance, and learned the song for this event," said Joseph Wojciechowski with AmCham Shanghai, who moved to the city last year.

"I always share my China stories to my American friends and hope the China-US relations will become better."