This year's arts festival ran from May 29 to June 1 in Beijing, with a range of stage performances, exhibitions and master classes, including a folk dance performance and a photography exhibition of cultural heritage sites.

Li Jinsheng, general manager of the China Arts and Entertainment Group, says, "through a variety of activities, the arts festival intends to present the diversified civilizations of the SCO member states, in order to promote exchange and mutual learning between countries, and to strengthen people-to-people bonds."