A Turkmen dance troupe is taking part in the 7th China Xinjiang International National Dance Festival, which opened on Sunday in Urumqi, the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Xinhua reports.

According to the organizers, the festival will last until August 5 and will include 52 performances. The event involves 24 dance troupes, including groups from eight foreign countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, the United States, Italy and Cambodia, as well as 16 Chinese troupes.

The festival program covers dance dramas, operas, ballet and modern dance. In addition to the main performances in Urumqi, events will be held in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Hotan, Aksu, Karamay, Hami and Alaer.

The festival also includes a Silk Road-themed street dance show, performances by local dance troupes, an international dance carnival and a traditional opera week.

The festival is jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China and the People's Government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The event has been held since 2008 and has become a key platform for cultural exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past six editions, 138 troupes from more than 70 countries and regions have participated in the festival.