One hundred youth from China and other countries familiarized themselves with cultures along the ancient Silk Road through a running activity in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on May 12.

The activity was kicked off at a Tang-Dynasty-style street. Participants played a series of games along the running routes which imitated difficulties and obstacles the ancients met when they opened up the Silk Road to link China to the outside world for trade and cultural exchange.

Choi Won Jong, a Korean student studying in Xi’an Jiaotong University, said that he had been studying in the city for two years and very much loved it.

“Many of my Korean friends have been working and being entrepreneurial here and we hope that we can make more Chinese friends and learn Chinese culture through the activity,” Choi said.

Youth from China and other countries were exposed to cultures from along the ancient Silk Road through a running activity in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on May 12. [Photo/Zimo]

The running was part of the on-going Third Silk Road International Exposition and the Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China, held from May 12 to 15.

Zheng Huiyong, sponsor of the Xi’an Zimo Sino-Korean Exchange Platform, which launched the activity, said that it was specially designed for the forum, and had attracted Chinese and foreign students from several universities and employees from Siemens and Samsung in Xi’an.

Zheng added that the activity aimed to promote cultural exchanges between China and other countries and to deepen the friendship between Chinese and foreign youth.