A stunning aerial lion dance performance was held on an outdoor 233-meter-high platform at the Macao Tower in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its return to the motherland. Accompanied by the rhythmic beats of drums, the artists performed the lion dance to express their jubilance and blessings for the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to China.
Performing at such a high altitude, the dancers took on a significant challenge, embodying the spirit of mettle and tenacity in tiding over adversity.
With impressive valor and vigor, the performers circled the Macao Tower in just a few minutes, symbolizing the seismic change of Macao by sharing weal and woes with the motherland in the past 25 years since its return while painting a rosy and bright future.
The Chinese lion dance is widely cherished in Macao, especially following the city's return to the motherland when the SAR began prioritizing its promotion and preservation. Since then it has evolved from street performance into a popular sport, with many students engaged in training from a young age to carry on this traditional Chinese culture. In 2020, the lion dance was listed as an intangible cultural heritage of Macao.
Macao stages aerial lion dance to mark 25th anniversary of return to China
Macao stages aerial lion dance to mark 25th anniversary of return to China
Macao stages aerial lion dance to mark 25th anniversary of return to China
China will carry out intensive space missions in 2026, including close-in asteroid exploration, manned spaceflights, and flight tests of reusable rockets, a senior official with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Friday.
China carried out 92 space launches in 2025, up 35 percent from the previous year, according to the CNSA.
Last year, China successfully launched the Tianwen-2 asteroid flyby and sampling mission, carried out four launch missions and two return missions for the manned space program, successfully conducted the first emergency space launch, and smoothly advanced the manned lunar landing project, the CNSA said.
In addition, China has actively promoted application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in key areas and mass consumption, fully accelerated the building of its satellite internet, and carried out maiden flight tests of two types of reusable carrier rockets, namely the Zhuque-3 and the Long March-12A.
""In 2026, the Tianwen-2 will approach its target asteroid for close-in exploration, the manned space program will carry out the Shenzhou-23 and other manned spaceflights, and multiple types of reusable rockets will undergo flight tests. The commercial space sector will ensure high-quality development with a high level of safety," said Liu Yunfeng, deputy director of the CNSA's system engineering department.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China's space industry. This milestone will be celebrated alongside the 11th Space Day of China on April 24, with the primary event scheduled in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province and with Brazil being the guest of honor.
Besides, China will hold the China Space Conference, activities to popularize aerospace science in schools, and technical exchange events to celebrate the anniversary.
China to carry out intensive space missions in 2026: official
