By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan aborigines have been invited to perform at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a newspaper said Sunday.
The China Times said the organising committee of the Beijing Olympics has passed on the invitation to aboriginal lawmaker Kao Chin Su-mei.
According to the plan, the opening ceremony will close with a three-minute performance by 100 Taiwan aboriginal singers and dancers.
The opening ceremony August 8 will start with performances at 6 pm (1000 GMT) and finish with lighting the Olympic torch at 1130 pm (1530 GMT), the China Times said.
The arts performance is scheduled for 6 pm until 7.30 pm.
A total of 130 performances by Chinese arts groups have been proposed to China’s culture ministry, and the ministry has decided on about 20 performances, including one by Taiwan aborigines.
The Beijing Olympics organizing committee will send representatives to Taiwan July 18 to discuss the details with the Taiwanese performers.
The Taiwan troupe will fly to Beijing July 28 to begin rehearsals with other Chinese troupes inside the Bird Nest, the main venue for the Aug 8-24 Olympics.
Taiwan has 13 aboriginal tribes which are renowned for their distinctive lifestyle, culture and talent for singing and dancing.