KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Participants from Malaysia and China spoke highly of the vibrant cultural exchanges between the two countries and expressed hope for closer interaction and cooperation at an event held in Malacca, Malaysia, on Saturday.

The 2026 Malacca Minnan Cultural Week opened on Saturday in Malacca, featuring a wide range of activities spanning artistic creation, intangible cultural heritage preservation and cultural research.

Gan Tian Loo, chairman of the Jonker Walk Working Committee in Malacca, said that the cultural week aims to carry forward the bond between the two countries and allow intangible cultural heritage and art to jointly tell the story of enduring friendship between their peoples.

Gan added that in 2020, the "Wangchuan ceremony, rituals and related practices for maintaining the sustainable connection between man and the ocean," jointly submitted by Malaysia and China, was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, becoming a model of bilateral cultural cooperation.

Wangchuan, also known as "Wangkang" in Malaysia, honors the harmony between man and the ocean and bears witness to the intercultural dialogue among communities.

For his part, Ye Xizhi, president of Xiamen Minnan Culture Research Association, said that over the years, the seeds of cooperation planted by both sides have taken root and flourished.

As the first event following the opening ceremony, the China-Malaysia Inheritance and Transcendence Wangkang Art Exhibition was opened, featuring paintings created by artists from both countries inspired by the Wangchuan tradition. Previously exhibited in Xiamen, China, the showcase now arrives in Malacca, offering local audiences a closer look at the artistic charm of this intangible cultural heritage element.

During the cultural week, a series of events will also be held to further enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.■