Overseas Chinese eagerly anticipate 2025 Spring Festival Gala

As the Spring Festival approaches, millions of overseas Chinese around the world are eagerly counting down to the annual Spring Festival Gala or "chunwan", a beloved tradition that has become an integral part of their cultural heritage.

Produced by China Media Group (CMG), the gala is a highly anticipated event that showcases China's rich cultural heritage, featuring vibrant performances, heartwarming stories, and festive music.

The Chinese Embassies in Mexico and Slovakia respectively hosted Spring Festival receptions last Friday, where attendees shared their views about the importance of watching the Spring Festival Gala.

"Every year, I set an alarm clock to make sure I wake up and watch the Spring Festival Gala. It feels like it's not the Spring Festival without watching the Spring Festival Gala. It's a visual and auditory feast," said Chen Lifang, an overseas Chinese living in Mexico.

"Living abroad, the Xiao Pins (Chinese skits) give us a glimpse of real life in China when we watch them in the gala. They make me feel so warm and familiar, like home," said Yan Suyun, another overseas Chinese living in Mexico.

"When I was young, my family would watch the gala together each year, while eating dinner on Spring Festival Eve. To me, it's not just a program, but a symbol of family reunion. For overseas Chinese like us, the gala is a source of spiritual comfort," said Zhou Yanjun, chairman of the Chinese Youth Federation of Europe.

In Vancouver, Canada, preparations are underway for an innovative dance drama, titled "A Deer of Nine Colors," a well-known Chinese story and a shining example of China's rich cultural heritage. The production team shared their excitement about participating in the Spring Festival Gala in their unique way.

"This year, I'm quite thrilled, because we joined the CGTN (a branch of CMG)'s 'Share your Snake Year dance' challenge online," said Tao Xiaoying, choreographer of the dance drama.

"I also think that the inscription of the Spring Festival [on UNESCO's list] of intangible cultural heritage is something that deserves celebration. And watching the Spring Festival Gala has been a tradition, since I was a child, and I'm also very happy," said a dancer.

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a special event was held in recent days to showcase the promotional video of CMG's Spring Festival Gala to local residents and overseas Chinese. The bilingual promotional videos for the gala in English and Arabic were prominently featured during cultural performances and film screenings of the event, bringing people into a festive atmosphere.

"Seeing the Spring Festival Gala's promotional video at the New Year's fair has brought the festivities to me. It felt like the Spring Festival is just around the corner, bringing me closer to home," said Dong Xuliang, a staff member of a Chinese company in Saudi Arabia.

In South Africa, the Spring Festival Gala's promotional video made its debut at the Sun City Resort last Friday, as the video has highlighted the unique charm of Chinese culture and drawn the attention of tourists from around the world.

"I grew up watching the Spring Festival Gala, but this is the first time I've watched its promotional video overseas in South Africa. I felt so happy and touched, and I even wanted to cry. It made me miss home so much," said Zhang Wei, an overseas Chinese living in South Africa.

The Spring Festival falls on the first day of the first month on the lunar calendar, which this year lands on Jan 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake. The festival is now recognized across the globe, with nearly one-fifth of the world's population celebrating it in various ways. Its recent inscription on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has further emphasized its worldwide appeal.

Overseas Chinese eagerly anticipate 2025 Spring Festival Gala

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media