Festival to mark Chinese culture and Games link

Institutions including Kew Gardens, London Zoo, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum are mounting events as part of the two-month festival.

Starting during the Chinese New Year in February, the China in London season is aimed at building links between the two countries.

It will culminate on Sunday 6 April, when London will play host to the Olympic flame as part of the Beijing torch relay. This is also the final day of the British Museum's blockbuster Terracotta Warriors exhibition.

Mayor Ken Livingstone, who is helping to organise the festival, said: "2008 will provide a unique context in which to celebrate Chinese arts, heritage and culture - and the strengthening ties between London and China as Beijing prepares to stage the Olympic and Paralympic Games in August before handing over to London as host city for the 2012 Games." There will be performances-from Beijing dance and opera companies, a season of Chinese films, Chinese opera workshops and Chinese tea tasting.

Experts will give tutorials in the ancient Chinese board game mah-jong and Kew Gardens will hold tours of its collection of Chinese plants and herbs.

The Underground will display poems by Bei Dao and Yang Lian, who rebelled against the restrictions of the Cultural Revolution, and fortune cookies filled with facts about modern China will be handed out to commuters. The celebrationsare part of the six-month China Now festival taking place across Britain.

Stephen Green of China Nowsaid: "As we move into the year of the Beijing Olympics, it is important that even more is done to build bridges between our two countries."

There is a strong economic argument underpinning Mr Livingstone's investment in the season. Last year, he visited China and he has opened offices in both Beijing and Shanghai.

The number of Chinese students choosing London to study has grown by more than 800 per cent in the last seven years, although other British cities have more. Tourism from China has also boomed.

Britain is the biggest recipient of direct Chinese investment in Europe, with London accounting for nearly a third of the total, and China's importance as a source of investment is expected to increase.