North China city holds international acrobatics festival

More than 260 acrobats from 19 countries and regions are participating in a major international circus event that opened Saturday evening in north China's Hebei Province. Acrobatic artists from Russia, the United States, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Germany and other countries and regions will present 30 performances during the 14th China Wuqiao International Circus Festival (CWICF) in Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital city. Apart from competition and stage performance, the acrobats will also go to the communities to perform for the public during the nine-day event, according to the organizers. Known as "oriental acrobatic arena," the event was first originated in 1987 and is held every other year. The CWICF, named after the birthplace of acrobatics -- Wuqiao County of Hebei, is considered one of the three most famed acrobatic competitions in the world along with the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival in Monaco and the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (the World Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow) in France.