The China Media Group (CMG) held a press conference in Beijing on Sunday to introduce the highlights of its much-anticipated 2025 Spring Festival Gala and the technological innovations used to create the grand show. As the first Spring Festival Gala after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed the Spring Festival on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December last year, this year's show will feature more elements of intangible cultural heritage to present a cultural feast full of new ideas to global audiences.
In addition to professional performers, the producers have also invited ordinary people from all walks of life to take the stage this year.
In terms of technological innovation, this year's gala will further deepen the integrated broadcast via big and small screens, advance the application of 8K ultra-high-definition technology, and use cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, extended reality, digital twins and virtual production to create a virtual stage that can be expanded at will, according to the press conference.
Efforts will also be made to improve the presentation of shows on devices with portrait screens.
For the first time in the history of the Spring Festival Gala, visually impaired and hearing-impaired versions will be broadcast for those in need.
The Spring Festival, which falls on Jan 29 this year, marks the start of the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year and is the country's grandest traditional festival.
The annual Spring Festival Gala produced by CMG, also known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, has been seen as a major cultural symbol for the traditional Lunar New Year celebrations in China since its debut in 1983. This year's event will be broadcast live on Jan 28, the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
CMG briefs press on highlights of 2025 Spring Festival Gala
CMG briefs press on highlights of 2025 Spring Festival Gala
CMG briefs press on highlights of 2025 Spring Festival Gala
A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday slammed Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te over his latest remarks on cross-Strait relations, accusing him of promoting secessionism and escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a press release that Lai's speech marking his second anniversary in office was "filled with lies and deception, hostility and confrontation."
Chen accused Lai of stubbornly adhering to a secessionist stance in pursuit of "Taiwan independence," while exaggerating the so-called threats from the mainland and intensifying confrontation across the Strait.
Lai played an old trick of advocating the secessionist agenda on one hand and, on the other, calling insincerely for dialogue and exchanges with the mainland, attempting to mislead people in Taiwan and deceive the international community, he said.
Chen said that these common tricks have been seen through by more and more Taiwanese people. Their deceptive and provocative actions will be met with firm opposition from compatriots on both sides and the international community, and are doomed to fail.
Reaffirming the mainland's position on the Taiwan question, Chen said Taiwan has never been a country, is not one now, and will never become one in the future.
He described the Taiwan question as a historical issue left over from a Chinese civil war in the 1940s.
No election result in Taiwan could alter the fact that Taiwan is part of China or sever the historical and legal bonds linking the two sides of the Strait, according to Chen.
The mainland would never allow any person or force to pursue secessionist activities under any pretext, he added.
Calling secessionists "the chief culprit" who undermines cross-Strait peace, Chen said the mainland would continue to uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, unite broadly with Taiwan compatriots, combat secessionist activities, and safeguard peace and stability across the Strait.
Central government spokesperson refutes Lai Ching-te's latest remarks, warns against secessionist moves
