The press launch of 2019 China-CEEC Music & Dance Festival was held at Zhejiang Conservatory of Music on the afternoon of 22 October 2019 with presence of president Wang Rui, vice president Yang Jiuhua, artists from Central and Eastern European countries, and media.

    Wang Rui introduced in detail the background, theme and highlights of the Festival. He pointed out that China-CEEC Music Academies Union was established under the joint initiative of ZJCM and its CEEC counterparts and the "Statement on the Establishment of China-CEEC Music Academies Union" was signed in September 2017 during the third China-CEEC Cultural Cooperation Forum. The past two years witnessed a series of exchange projects between ZJCM and the Union members, which laid a solid foundation for this Festival. 

    Wang Rui said that since the foundation of China-CEEC Music Academies Union, ZJCM hosted CEEC Composers' Field Trip in China and CEEC Opera House and Opera Festival Directors Visit, and invited numerous CEEC artists to ZJCM for performances. Also, ZJCM art delegations visited Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania to perform, which were warmly welcomed by local people and aroused strong social response. The Festival was expected to promote the Belt and Road Initiative and the prosperity of music culture in China and CEE countries as an international platform for music exchange. 

    Yang Jiuhua took questions from the media. 

    Musicians from Czech and Hungary presented two music pieces at the press launch. In the following days, 28 artists from 8 countries - Poland, North Macedonia, Czech, Hungary, Estonia, Montenegro, Lithuania and Serbia - will join Chinese artists in ZJCM for 43 concerts/dances and masterclasses.