Arabic script and Chinese characters — two writing systems that know no alphabet — have met in Guangzhou. This is according to a video report by CCTV+.
On Saturday, the 2026 International Youth Poetry Festival opened in Guangzhou, southern China. This year’s edition is dedicated to the China-Arab dialogue. The festival brought together more than one hundred poets, writers and scholars from China and thirteen Arab countries. Their goal — literary exchange and deepening cultural ties.
The festival runs from May 8 to May 17. The program is rich. At the opening ceremony, Chinese and Arab poets presented several striking performances. A folk music piece titled “In Honor of Beautiful Times” was played. The audience saw a poetic performance called “Adonis — the Osmanthus Tree”. And they heard a recitation of the classic Chinese poem “To the Oak”.
After the ceremony, participants visited the Guangdong Literary Museum. There they explored intangible cultural heritage and the unique culture of Lingnan.
Professor Xue Qingguo from Beijing Foreign Studies University explained: “Guangzhou has been a center of friendly exchanges between China and Arab countries since ancient times. It is known not only for its economic and trade activities, but also for its numerous literary and cultural achievements. It has played an important role in strengthening people-to-people ties and promoting mutual understanding and knowledge exchange between different civilizations.”
In the coming days, the poets will visit three cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Beijing. They will take part in poetry evenings, academic dialogues and other cultural exchange events. The route is designed so that participants can see firsthand the vibrant practice and dynamic development of Chinese modernization.
The International Youth Poetry Festival was launched by the China Writers Association in 2024. It has quickly become a specialized platform for international literary exchange. Previous successful editions featured sessions focused on BRICS countries and Latin America.
Poetry needs no translation. But these days in Guangzhou prove that it needs a meeting. Two ancient civilizations — China and the Arab world — are speaking to each other again. Not through diplomats, not through contracts, but through rhymes and metaphors.
What do Arabic script and Chinese characters have in common? At first glance — nothing. One is written from right to left, the other from top to bottom. One has twenty-eight letters, the other has tens of thousands of signs. But here is something important. Neither writing system is alphabetical. They do not record sounds — they draw meanings. Arabic calligraphy and the Chinese character are poetry that can be seen with the eyes without being spoken aloud. That is why poets from thirteen Arab countries and their colleagues from China speak the same language. Their alphabet is imagery. Their grammar is rhythm. Their dictionary is eternity. And perhaps, after ten days, returning home, they will begin writing a new chapter. Where poetry has no borders, and the bridges between cultures have only spans — distances that can be crossed.
