China TV Channels to Cover and Air Cheng Ho Festival

The Cheng Ho Cultural Festival that will be held this weekend on 30th-31st July in Semarang, capital of Central Java, will also be covered by two TV channels who are specially flying in from China, said Mulyadi, Chairman of the Cheng Ho Institute, as reported the Ministry of Tourism. The two channels are: CNS and Xinhua News for CCTV.

Also gracing the event will be the Cultural Attache of the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta, Mr. Jin Hongyue and Embassy Secretary Mr. Wang.

Meanwhile Indonesia’s own Chinese channels covering the event are Gouji Rebao, and Metro Xinwen, besides a host of Indonesian and foreign media. 

The Festival commemorates the arrival of Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho (Zheng He), special Emissary of the Emperor,  in Indonesia during 5 among 7 historic ocean expeditions made between 1405-1433. Although Cheng Ho himself returned to China, yet many of his officers in the fleet decided to remain and assimilate with  the local Javanese inhabitants, which created the fusion between Chinese-Indonesian culture on the north coast of the island of Java that can still be witnessed until today.   

The Event highlights religious as well as cultural  and business aspects. While pinnacle of the Festival will be a grand cultural parade starting from the Tay Kak Sie Temple and finishing at the Sam Poo Kong temple.