The contestants sing during the ninth edition of China-Vietnam Friendship Singing Contest in Hanoi, Vietnam, Nov. 10, 2018. The ninth edition of China-Vietnam Friendship Singing Contest, which concluded here on Saturday night, helped step up cultural exchanges between the two countries and foster music talents. The best five contestants were selected, including three individuals and two groups. They will go to China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for the final slated for Nov. 28. (Xinhua/Ngo Minh Tien)

HANOI, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The ninth edition of China-Vietnam Friendship Singing Contest, which concluded here on Saturday night, helped step up cultural exchanges between the two countries and foster music talents.

The annual event has been held alternately between the two countries since 2010 with collaboration of China's People's Radio of Guangxi and the Vietnam National Music Song and Dance Theater.

"Music is borderless. Cultural exchanges between the two countries will be further promoted through activities like this," Peng Shituan, cultural counselor of the Chinese embassy in Vietnam told Xinhua on Saturday.

Peng noted that China and Vietnam have many cultural and historical similarities, which are advantages to help better mutual understanding.

The contestants, comprised of 18 individuals and three bands, stood out in the qualifying rounds held across Vietnamese regions from Oct. 5-20.

Each of them performed a Chinese song and another in Vietnamese, and the best five were selected, including three individuals and two groups. They will go to China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for the final slated for Nov. 28.

"Several singers have had their careers take off after the contest. They are loved by people in both countries," said Peng, considering that those singers have now become cultural bridges connecting China and Vietnam.

According to Nguyen Hai Linh, acting director of Au Co Art Performing Center in Hanoi, the contest this year attracted greater attention from the public, with the number of contestants at the preliminary round exceeding 100.

"Many of them are driven by their passion for Chinese music and culture to sign up for the competition," he said, adding that contestants this year have very good performing skills, diverse in styles and genres.

As an artist, Linh expressed his hope that more similar cultural events can be held to bolster cultural exchanges, deepen the friendship ties between the two countries and bring the two peoples closer to each other.???