A performance featuring Shaolin martial arts and robots captivated delegates and business visitors at the opening of a major agricultural expo in Henan province on Oct. 30, showcasing the blend of traditional culture and technological innovation underpinning closer China-ASEAN cooperation.
The 2026 ASEAN-China (Henan) Cooperation and Development Conference on Food and Agriculture, together with the fifth Belt and Road (Henan) International Agricultural Cooperation Expo, opened on Friday morning in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone.
The opening ceremony featured a striking performance in which performers portraying the legendary Shaolin 18 Bronze Men shared the stage with robots in synchronized martial arts routines. Delegates and business visitors from ASEAN countries quickly took out their phones to capture the spectacle.
The performance reflected this year's event theme, "Digital Intelligence Connects with ASEAN, Green Chain Ensures Food Security". Henan, a major grain-producing province in China, is drawing on its strong agricultural foundations and modern digital farming technologies to strengthen ties with ASEAN partners, with cultural exchange serving as a bridge to practical business cooperation.
ASEAN is an important trading partner for Henan, with the two sides enjoying complementary strengths in agricultural trade, farming technologies and germplasm resources. Officials and traders from Malaysia, Myanmar and other ASEAN countries attended the opening programme to exchange views on stabilizing grain production, industrial chain cooperation and low-carbon agriculture.
Several foreign guests said the performance offered them a vivid glimpse of Henan's cultural heritage and advances in digital agriculture, adding that they were optimistic about expanding food and agricultural cooperation.
Building on its millennia-old farming traditions while embracing digital transformation, Henan is also leveraging its logistical advantages to facilitate the flow of grain and agricultural products to ASEAN markets. The province aims to work with all participants to safeguard regional food security and share the benefits of greener, more sustainable agricultural development.
(Reporter: Liu Rui)
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