Jane Zhang in North Korea
In these days Jane Zhang is member of the Chinese delegation of literary and artists that visits North Korea. The delegation was specially chosen and dispatched by the Chinese party and government at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The group, leaded by China’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Luo Shugang 雒树刚, have landed in the afternoon of 2018, November 2nd at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport where they were expected by a large crowd and by a North Korean government delegation. The welcoming of the Korean people was very warm.
The Chinese delegation consists of famous singers, dancers, actors and actresses, all prestigious Chinese artists. Among them the director and actor Zhang Guoli 张国立, actress Tong Liya 佟丽娅 and singers Jane Zhang 张靓颖, Jason Zhang 张杰 and Sun Nan 孙楠.
During their visit to the DPRK, these artists performed in front of the DPRK audience, and carried out exchange activities with North Korean artists, including joint performances.
The DPRK Government hosted a banquet at Pyongyang Koryo Hotel to welcome the Chinese delegation. Present on the site the Chinese ambassador to the DPRK Li Jinjun 李進軍 and the embassy officials.
Among the audience were Pak Kwang Ho and Ri Su Yong, members of the Political Bureau and vice-chairmen of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Pak Chun Nam, minister of Culture, An Tong Chun, chairman of the Central Committee of the General Federation of the Unions of Art and Literature of Korea, officials, creators and artists in the field of culture and art.
Pak Chun Nam in his speech warmly welcomed the Chinese artists delegation saying that the Korean people expect with great interest the performance of the famous artists specially chosen by Chinese party and government.
He pointed out that this visit of Chinese artists, after the one in last April, will offer an important occasion in further strengthening the DPRK-China friendship and vigorously accelerating the cultural and artistic exchange between the two countries.
Luo Shugang also said that the current visit to the DPRK by a Chinese delegation of the artists, a practice of the important joint understanding achieved by General Secretary Xi Jinping and Chairman Kim Jong Un at the historic meetings, will bring a new motive force to the development of the two parties and the two countries.
It’s the firm policy of the Chinese party and government to steadily consolidate and develop the China-DPRK friendship, he said, adding that the Chinese artistes would boost the traditional friendship and exchange with Korean comrades and thus positively promote the development of the relations between the two parties and the two countries.
For this occasion various artists, included the Samjiyon Orchestra gived performances that are started with a prelude Chinese song “Our New Era”, represented with peculiar musical melodies the ideological emotion and friendship of the two countries.
Then the female solos “Pyongyang Is Best”, “Fly High, Our Party Flag” and orchestra “We’ll Travel One Road Forever” in representation of the dignity and pride of the Korean people.
To follow the female solo “Song of Changjiang” and female chorus “The Fluttering Red Flag” reflecting patriotism, national emotion and optimistic lives of the Chinese people delighted the Chinese guests.
At the end of the performance the Chinese delegation of artists and staff members of the Chinese embassy presented bouquets and floral baskets to the performers.
Now we look forward to watching the performance of the Chinese artists, especially the one of the “Key Voice of China”, Jane Zhang ! All we have at the moment are some photos and a very short video fragment in wich Jane Zhang and Jason Zhang while they duet at Mansudae Art Theatre (만수대예술극장) in Pyongyang in front of DPRK president Kim Jong-un.
Below Jane Zhang greets from North Korea through Jason Zhang’s camera. The artists of Chinese delegation leave North Korea greeted by the crowd.
The international commitments of Jane Zhang
By tracing the Jane Zhang career since her debut is worth to remember the other important international official events in which Jane was involved:
- In 2006, BFA partecipation and in 2013 BFA Annual Conference – CCTV Young Leaders Roundtable. BFA is “Boao Forum for Asia” (博鰲亞洲論壇), a nongovernmental and nonprofit international organization that aims to promote and deepen the economic exchange, coordination, and cooperation within Asia and between Asia and other parts of the world. BFA was proposed in 1998 by Fidel V. Ramos, former President of the Philippines, Morihiro Hosokawa, former Prime Minister of Japan and Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia with whom Jane sang a duet singing the English classic song “One Day When We Were Young“.
- In 2007 Jane takes part in World Peace One (WP1) Concert among with a group of artists chosen to record the song “Give Your Love“. The humanitarian project was aimed at promoting awareness on the problem of poverty in Third World countries. Jane was the only Asian singer to receive the invitation and she shared the stage with world famous icons such as U2, Madonna and Pink Floyd.
- In 2008, during a visit to Tokyo, Jane was invited at official residence of Yasuo Fukuda, at that time Japanese Prime Minister and on that occasione she performed “Impression of the West Lake“, the masterpiece composed by Kitaro which brought both to the Grammy.
- In October 2010 Jane joined the press conference for the G20 Summit music concert for 7th edition of Asia Song Festival. The conference was helded at Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, South Korea.
- In 2013 Jane participated in the recording of the song “One Woman” for International Women’s Day, joining 24 other global artistes selected by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) to release the single for charity. The song’s lyricist, Beth Blatt, was extremely impressed by Jane’s performance, and expressed
Jane’s voice was a perfect interpretation of the song’s message
Outside of the two countries, I doubt many will look at this move favorably, due to all the controversies surrounding NK and China (especially the treatment of citizens, including limits on personal freedom in both places) with many people believing both countries are Communist powerhouses aiming for war with the West. I wonder how this news will affect her gaining more fame here in the US, since many people now are starting to think any media from or made in China is propaganda or trying to complete with or take over something from the US (which isn’t always true). Jane is so talented, I would love her to be even more famous internationally, but politics ruin everything.
Hi Jadon, thanks for your comment. Obviously I also had some doubts before publishing the news but then I reflected on the fact that, regardless of the political context, Jane has been choosen (among thousand of artists) by the Chinese government to be part of the delegation for the North Korea and this is a demonstration of how much she’s loved in her country and how proud her country is of this artist. I invite you to look at it from this point of view ’cause, trust me, for Jane there are no other points of view to be taken into account. Jane is 100% a singer and her art has never been at the service of policy.