A young actress (C) performs Peking opera during the 2020 Happy Chinese New Year Chinese Opera Gala in Toronto, Canada, Jan. 11, 2020. Hosted by Canada Chinese Opera Arts Centre, this event was held here to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New year of the Rat on Saturday. File photo:Xinhua

 A reception was held Saturday night in Egypt's capital Cairo by the Chinese Embassy in Egypt to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year.

Around 700 Chinese nationals, including employees of Chinese companies in Egypt, teachers of Confucius institutes in Egypt, and Chinese students studying in Egypt, were invited to the reception.

Before dinner, a wonderful performance including various dances, singing, Chinese traditional talk show Xiangsheng and a flute solo was put on stage, winning wild applause from the audience.

Delivering a speech at the reception, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said the bilateral relations between the two countries have made a great leap in the past year amid high-level exchange of visits.

Noting that the bilateral relations are in the golden age, Liao said the Chinese Embassy in Egypt will work harder to promote China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership, deepen cooperation in various fields, and promote stability and long-term relations between China and Egypt.

To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year which is the Year of the Rat and falls on Jan. 25 this year, the Chinese Embassy in Egypt and the Chinese Cultural Center in Cairo will hold a number of events including symphony concerts, a dragon-boat contest and a Chinese food workshop.