LIVERPOOL - The British city of Liverpool will host a festival of the best of Chinese contemporary art and culture that will last nine months in 2018 to mark the city's 10th anniversary of being named the European Capital of Culture.

A sampling of a year of events was announced by City Hall officials on Thursday, with full details to come in January.

The city says Year of the Dog celebrations in what is Europe's oldest Chinatown will kick-start the program called "China Dream".