The great and the good from politics, business and overseas Chinese based in Berlin came out to the 'Bank of China Night,' for a Mid-Autumn Festival concert.

It was hosted by the China Cultural Center and their Director, Sun Qinhang was delighted with the event.

"We are extremely happy to host the Mid-Autumn Festival concert together with Bank of China," he said. "I think this activity has a really positive impact for Germany to understand traditional Chinese culture."

This wasn't just an early celebration of the Mid-Autumn festival. It also marked 10 years since Bank of China opened its first branch in the German capital. 

Board member of influential business lobby, The Economic Council of the CDU, Juergen Geissinger, told CGTN: "The Bank of China is a crucial part of that all-important Chinese, German business relationship. It's not just 10 years in the Bank of China in Berlin, it is 34 years for the Bank of China in Germany. 

"This is really important for all the investment, what the German industry is doing in China and the growth of the industry, but also vice versa for the Chinese companies coming to Germany. I think that's what, with the help of the Bank of China, we must build and is growing and also will grow in the future."

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The bank is the fourth largest in the world and the most internationally visible Chinese bank. Their first branch in Germany opened in Frankfurt in 1989.

With Bank of China on track to record profits of $33.2 billion across the group for 2023, according to Forbes, delegates could kick back and ring in the Mid-Autumn festival with a performance by German-based Chinese pianist Zhang Haiou.

The audience was treated to a blend of compositions from Wang Jianzhong, Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. 

CGTN spoke to the maestro, who told us music can be the best way to bring people together, whether it's when understanding cultures or even business.

"It's key to let people hve access to each other, to get over the gap," Zhang said. "This is for me, a big responsibility, especially between the eastern and western part of the world. I think music is a beautiful language to communicate."

It was a fantastic evening, getting the celebrations for one of the biggest holidays in the Chinese calendar under way, with the Mid-Autumn Festival taking place on September 29.

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