Zambian dancers perform at the Jinshahai Resort Area in Zhongwei, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, on May 9. [Photo by Yu Jing/China News Service]

An African dance show in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region has become an unexpected hit with visitors and boosted development of the local tourism industry.

Since opening on May 9 this year, the "Africa Style — Dancing Desert Project" in the Jinshahai Resort Area of Zhongwei city has attracted more than 30,000 tourists from home and abroad.

The project is expected to attract 50,000 to 80,000 visitors annually and contribute to the city's overall economic development, local authorities said.

Performers from Zambia's national dancing team, representing 12 different cultural groups from 10 regions of the south-central African nation, took part in the launch show.

Accompanied by African drums, their exuberant performances have thrilled local and international visitors to Zhongwei.

The project has also refreshed the long-standing friendship between the two countries and reinforced the strong cultural and trade ties, while boosting Zhongwei and Ningxia's international tourism image.

Iven Zyuulu, Zambia's ambassador to China, said at the launch in May he was happy to be able to enjoy Zambian singing and dancing performances in the Jinshahai Resort Area.

The "Africa Style — Dancing Desert Project" represented a further strengthening of the partnership and friendship between Zambia and China, he added. "I hope there will be more cooperation projects to promote the development of bilateral relations in the future," he said.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Zambia's Minister of Tourism Rodney Sikumba.

Ma Honghai, mayor of Zhongwei, said the city government would try to build a good platform and provide services to achieve greater and higher-level cooperation between China and Zambia.

"Meanwhile, we will make every effort to create a diverse cultural and tourism integration development model, to allow more tourists to share the beauty of different cultures and enjoy the tourism (attractions) of the two nations," he said.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zambia, and 2024 has been designated the "China-Zambia Cultural and Tourism Year" to boost the development of both nations' tourism industries.

Encouraged by the success of the dance project, local authorities plan to build an African tribal theme park in Zhongwei to give tourists the chance to immerse themselves in African culture.

The project's construction cost is estimated to be more than 12 million yuan ($1.7 million).

Supporting stages and sets for the "Africa Style — Dancing Desert Project" will be included in the park, along with an African cultural tourism and art center, a trade center and a Zambian cultural museum. Facilities to conduct more cultural and commercial exchange events will also be upgraded.

The African dance project is a direct response to the country's Belt and Road Initiative and the push to jointly build a China-Africa community with a shared future, with political mutual trust, economic integration and cultural tolerance, local authorities said.

Meanwhile, relevant government departments in Ningxia are looking to develop African cultural and creative products to fill a gap in the market. Among the products they are hoping to introduce to the region are Zambian honey and coffee.

Through building an African products trading platform, Ningxia is also expecting to sell more of its Chinese wolfberry, red wine, Helan stone and local specialties to African countries to achieve commercial transactions and promote economic and trade development between China and Africa in the following years, local authorities said.

They believe cooperation between Ningxia and Zambia is a win-win deal that will yield even greater opportunities in the future.