The China Tourism Office in New York and the Philadelphia Orchestra jointly held the 2026 "Happy Spring Festival" concert and "Hello! China" tourism promotion series activities at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia on the 28th. At 19:30 that evening, the 2026 "Happy Spring Festival" concert was held at the Jinmeier Performing Arts Center. The concert is themed around "spring" and showcases the beauty of cultural exchange and mutual learning through diverse musical languages. The biggest highlight of the concert is the performance of classic and contemporary works such as "Spring Festival Overture," "Welcoming Spring," "Spring Morning," "The Overlord Sheds His Armor," and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," led by conductor Naomi Wu and performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Chinese musicians Yu Hongmei and Zhang Hongyan from the Central Conservatory of Music. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng and Chinese Consul General in New York Chen Li attended the event and exchanged ideas with guests from all walks of life in the United States. Nearly 2500 representatives from the US political, cultural, and tourism sectors, as well as local residents, participated in the relevant activities. Earlier that day, Ma Yunfei, Director of the Chinese Tourism Office in New York, said in his speech at the "Hello! China" tourism promotion reception that tourism is the most natural and warm way of international communication. China is continuously promoting the facilitation of inbound tourism, and welcomes more American people to experience China's development vitality and open attitude through cultural and tourism exchanges. The President and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Ryan, stated that the orchestra's first performance in China in 1973 was the first American orchestra to visit China after the founding of the People's Republic of China. For over 50 years, the Philadelphia Orchestra has been committed to strengthening cultural exchanges and artistic cooperation between the United States and China. We are proud of the deepening friendship between the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Chinese people. Pennsylvania Senator Sheriff Street emphasized that it is crucial for the United States and China, as the world's two largest economies, to work together, which not only concerns the people of the two countries, but also global peace and economic prosperity. On the 29th local time, the National Orchestra of the Central Conservatory of Music will also hold a Chinese New Year concert at the Jinmeier Performing Arts Center. (New Society)