KAMPALA, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese community in Uganda on Sunday held celebrations ahead of the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival of the Year of the Pig.

Hundreds of Chinese thronged the Speke Resort Munyonyo on the shores of Lake Victoria in the capital Kampala, where they enjoyed several cultural performances played by acrobats from China's Shaanxi Provincial Acrobatic Art Troupe.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese ambassador to Uganda Zheng Zhuqiang said the relations between the two countries have grown stronger.

"During the year, there were also high-level exchanges, economic cooperation, trade and investment, educational exchanges" between the two countries, Zheng said. "Cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results."

Looking back on China's achievements, Zheng said the Chinese government promoted various reforms in 2018, leading to a maintained stable economic growth.

"Progress has been achieved in poverty alleviation," Zheng said, adding that more than 10 million people in rural areas were lifted out of poverty In 2018.

The Spring Festival, falling on Feb. 5 this year, is one of the important traditional festivals of the Chinese people, featuring family reunion, feasts and performances.