MANILA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A gala show named "Golden Era of the Philippines-China Relation" commemorating the 44th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the China-Philippines Friendship Day was held on Friday, attracting nearly 2,000 people.

Staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Chinese artists from Hainan Provincial Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble and Qiongzhong Cultural Museum performed dancing of different Chinese ethnic groups, traditional Chinese instrumental music and popular Chinese and Philippine songs during the show.

Tan Qingsheng, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy, said the grand gala show held in Manila is evidence of the flourishing cultural ties between the two countries and their people.

"The cultural exchange between our two countries is blessed with the profound historic origin and in line with the common expectations of the two peoples," he said.

The mutually beneficial cooperation has been steadily advanced, and the friendship between China and the Philippines has become increasingly popular among the people, said Yang Huahong, chairman of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines Foundation.

June 9 was the 44th anniversary of the establishment of China-Philippines diplomatic ties and the 18th China-Philippines Friendship Day.