AMMAN - (Xinhua) Zina Barhoum, the world-renowned Jordanian soprano and founder of the Amman Opera Festival, affirmed her deep admiration for China's ancient and unique civilization.

In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, Zina said that she firmly believes that there is still a lot of space to enhance cooperation between China and Arab countries in the field of culture and music.

Zina, who recorded her first album at the age of fourteen, added that she tried to learn the Mandarin language because she is very fond of the Chinese cultural scene and music.

She said, "The Chinese's unique embrace of their ancient civilization amazes me a lot, especially that they have introduced modern and advanced technologies into it, and the world should learn from them that they are wonderful people who work hard and intelligently.
"I admire the Chinese for their love of music and culture, and I respect them as dreamers," she added.
She pointed out that the Arab-Chinese cooperation has always been present at the level of the economy and in all fields, expressing her hope that there will be more cooperation in the fields of technology, artificial intelligence, music and culture to build bridges linking the world together.

The Jordanian artist said that she was invited to sing in China on several occasions.

She also released an album titled "Alcantara 2 Decorations in China" that highlights the song "Dream of the Silk Road" as a duet with Chinese artist Wang Chuanyu.

She indicated that she recorded the entire album in Jordan with the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra before its official release date, when she was invited to perform the song on the closing night of the Arab Arts Festival in Chengdu, explaining that it was the first time that she sang in Chinese.

The Jordanian soprano said that she had tried to learn Mandarin in the past, which helped her understand the phonetics of the language and the process of her learning the song with a teacher assigned to her by the Chinese embassy in Jordan before traveling to China.

The soprano said that singers and artists have a major role in building bridges between countries in the field of cultural cooperation, stressing the need for extensive cooperation with China.

She stressed that she focuses on the message of bridging cultures in a world of love and interdependence, and that she is honest with herself as an artist, noting that art speaks a universal language that everyone can understand, and that it transcends borders and breaks misconceptions. Simply put, art brings the world closer together, and that singers and artists represent their countries when they travel to perform.

She explained that the experience of cultural exchange teaches each artist a new cultural language and how to promote and build stronger relationships with the other through conversation on the cultural level.

The Sopranos said that her album, "Alcantara 2, an Ornament in China," seeks to shed light on the history of the ancient Silk Road and the connection of cultures between China and the Arab world.

She added, "The world to this day reminds us that love and teamwork are all we need in order to gain the strength to make a difference and fight any threat that humanity may face."