BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) vows to further promote cultural exchanges with China, Serge Abou, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Commission to China, said here on Friday.  

    According to Abou, as a specific program in cultural exchanges, the EU Extravaganza will be held in Beijing from May 23 to 24.  

    This festival comes at an opportune time for EU-China relations, when the two sides are determined to bring their strategic partnership to new heights through a number of high-level visits as well as two summits scheduled for 2009, and a common will to face the global challenges of the financial crisis and climate change together, Abou told a press conference on Friday.  

    The year 2008, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, witnessed a series of events in the bilateral cultural exchanges.  

    According to the Delegation of the European Commission to China, the European Commission and the Chinese Mission to the EU launched the China-EU Language Exchange Programme entitled "EU WINDOW" in June. In August, young musicians from the EU came to Beijing to perform Mahler's life-affirming 'Resurrection' Symphony. And the gala evening of the First EU Film Festival was held in Beijing in December, 2008. 

    Abou said, the EU Extravaganza is a showcase that highlights the European music and cuisine with participation of 27 member states and it offers a chance to explore the riches and diversity of the European culture.  

    He noted that the event helps to broaden the knowledge of the EU among the Chinese public and let them know that there is a lot more to the region than its larger, better-known member states such as the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, France, Italy and Spain, especially since the EU's recent enlargements.  

    Viteslav Grepl, ambassador to China of Czech, the current holder of the revolving EU presidency, said that there will be musical and dancing performances as well as the activities introducing European cuisine, tourism and education programs.  

    "I believe the EU Extravaganza would be an event which attracts many people and I do hope they would enjoy it to the full extent."  

    Abou said, "The objective of the EU Extravaganza event is to promote cultural exchanges and friendship between European countries and China and facilitate the understanding of the diversity of European culture, tourism, education among the Chinese."  

    According to the Delegation of the European Commission to China, besides the EU Extravaganza, further events in this regard will beheld with detailed plans to made in the future.