Residents of the Siberian city of Chita have expressed their indignation over a City Day fireworks show that was accompanied by Chinese songs, the Baikal Daily news website reported Monday.
Some of the residents believed they heard anthem of Manchuria playing: “Chita City Day celebrations were closed with the Manchurian anthem!” local resident Stas Zakharov wrote on his Facebook page, adding that he was pleased with the fact that “at least a half [of the festival visitors] disagreed with what was happening, to say the least.”
The city administration commented on the public displeasure, saying that a song called “I love Manchuria” and another song about a talking dragon were played at the festival.
“There was no anthem of Manchuria — they do not even have it. They only have the [Chinese] national anthem,” the chairman of Chita’s culture committee Nikolai Volkov said.
He explained that the fireworks were given to the city as a gift from Chinese officials on Chita City Day.
“Why did we have such a huge firework show? It was a gift,” Volkov said. “Gifts vary. Some people give you a picture as a gift, and they gave us fireworks,” he added.
“There is no money, but hang on in there. And we do — with Chinese support,” a resident wrote on his social network page, Baikal Daily reported.
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