The great and the good from politics, business and overseas Chinese based in Berlin came out to the 'Bank of China Night' to celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival concert hosted by the China Cultural Centre.

The Mid Autumn Festival - due to be held on Thursday (September 29) - is one of the biggest dates in the Chinese calendar and an event in Berlin was held to mark the occasion and celebrate 10 years of service from one of China's biggest banks working in the German capital.

China Cultural Centre director Sun Qinhang said: "We are extremely happy to host the Mid-Autumn Festival concert together with Bank of China. I think this activity has really positive impact for Germany to understand traditional Chinese culture."

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This was not just an early celebration of the Mid Autumn Festival, its also marking 10 years since Bank of China opened their first branch in the German capital. The institution is a crucial part of an all-important Chinese-German business relationship.

Juergen Geissinger, board member of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany's Economic Council, said: "It's not just ten years in the Bank of China in Berlin, it is 34 years for the Bank of China in Germany.

"And I think 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 over here. And 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."

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, it's little wonder they are happy to 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 and maestro Zhang said: "This is, for me, a big responsibility. I think music is a beautiful language to communicate."

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