Festival of color, vibrancy and enticing cuisine celebrates a rich heritage, Yang Feiyue reports.

The capital city's Sanlitun area was recently swept up in a Malaysian craze, as mouthwatering food, art and impressive performances were on display during a cultural festival.

The three-day event in early September was to demonstrate the rich traditions and culture of Malaysia and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia next year.

Impressive performances such as the Twenty-Four Festive Drums, lion dance, and Malaysian martial art Silat were presented to show Malaysia's traditions and culture during the event, while distinctive gourmet food like durian, bak kut teh, nasi lemak and satay were available to bring tropical flavors to the palate.

The traditional Southeast Asian board game Congkak, and the Malaysian kite Wau enabled visitors to savor the country's cultural charm at close quarters.

"The friendship between Malaysia and China has a long history. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Malaysia and China," says Sarawak's Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

"Malaysia and China have always maintained cultural exchanges, and both sides have been actively innovating forms of exchange and creating platforms for exchanges, achieving significant results in various fields," Abdul Karim adds.