The overseas Chinese worldwide are eagerly looking forward to the 2025 Spring Festival Gala, a grand celebration presented by the China Media Group (CMG).
At the recent receptions held in the Chinese embassies in Egypt and Iran to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year which falls on on January 29 this year, the promotional video of the gala was screened, captivating the audience in attendance.
"The Spring Festival Gala has grown along with our generation. I was born in 1979, and the first gala was aired in 1983. As far back as I can remember, I have spent every Chinese New Year's Eve with my family enjoying the gala. I hope that the CMG gala will continue to improve and bring together all Chinese people around the world," said Song Chao, a reception attendee in Egypt.
"The promotional video I watched today features a wealth of technology and other elements, and it truly amazed me," said Ma Tianyuan, a reception attendee in Iran.
In Honduras, the local Chinese Cultural Exchange Association will host a variety of activities to celerate the Spring Festival, including karaoke competitions, lion dance performances, and calligraphy activities.
"We have always watched the Spring Festival Gala on the Chinese New Year's Eve, as it holds a special place in our childhood memories. We all love this program," said Hou Wenguang, deputy head of the association.
The gala, also known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, has been broadcast live annually on the Chinese New Year's Eve since 1983, and has been seen as a major cultural symbol for the traditional Lunar New Year celebrations in China.
The 2025 Spring Festival gala will be the first edition since the Spring Festival's successful inclusion on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
For Chinese people, the gala has evolved beyond a mere television show. It represents a nationally shared experience, a collective memory, and its evolution is in many ways representative of China's wider technological growth and social development.
Overseas Chinese worldwide look forward to 2025 Spring Festival Gala
The sixth China-Pacific Island Countries Political Leadership Dialogue was held in Beijing on Saturday, where political figures from China and Pacific island countries held in-depth discussions on deepening practical cooperation across various fields and building a China-Pacific island Countries community with a shared future.
Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said China and Pacific island countries have always adhered to mutual respect and equal treatment though they differ in natural endowments, history, culture, and social systems.
China never interferes in the internal affairs of Pacific Island countries, nor does it ever treat them as an arena for major power competition. China also highly appreciates that Pacific island countries having diplomatic relations with China firmly abide by the one-China principle and support China's just position, Liu said.
The CPC is willing to work with political parties and leaders of Pacific island countries to contribute more party strength to building a China-Pacific Island Countries community with a shared future, he said.
Leaders of political parties from Pacific island countries said China is a good friend and good partner to them, and that bilateral relations have been continuously consolidated and developed based on mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutually beneficial cooperation.
They expressed their willingness to continue strengthening cooperation with China in infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, disaster reduction and capacity building, and to further deepen their friendship with China.
"We appreciate the willingness of our host to hear our specific priorities. This dialogue is an opportunity to deepen that understanding and explore practical ways in which cooperation can improve lives of our people," said Viliami Uasike Latu, Tongan deputy prime minister.
"China wants to see Pacific island countries prosper into economic development, real development, real changes to affect the livelihood of people in the Pacific. That's basically my understanding. I see that they're not for geopolitics," said Morris Tovebae, general secretary of the Pangu Party in Papua New Guinea.
6th China-Pacific Island Countries Political Leadership Dialogue held in Beijing
