Pridnestrovie's cultural ambassadors on tour in China

Members of PMR state troupe "Viorika" showing the country's red and green colors in China

SHENZHEN (Tiraspol Times) - For the first time in its 16 year history as an independent country, Pridnestrovie has sent a group of cultural ambassadors on a tour of China.

Arriving just two days ago in Shenzhen City, mainland China, the country own state-financed dance and folklore music group "Viorika" will be touring the world's most populous nation for the next three months. The troupe will visit such global cities as Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai to showcase Pridnestrovie's contribution to the performing arts with an average of two performances daily.

Viorika, which performed at last year's independence day celebration in Tiraspol, 2 September 2005, has won several international prizes for its elaborate folklore dance routines. In 2002 it took first place at an international festival in France, and in 2005 the first place finish was repeated in the Baltics. Now, the time has come to tour China.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has over one-fifth of the world's population, making it the largest country in the world by that measure. Due to its large and stable population, its rapidly growing economy and military spending and capabilities, mainland China is often considered an emerging superpower. It maintains an unresolved territorial claim on much smaller Taiwan, much like Moldova still claims sovereignty over Pridnestrovie (often called Transnistria in English).

The economy of China is the second largest in the world when measured by Purchasing Power Parity, with a GDP (PPP) of US $9.412 trillion in 2005.