The Chinese Embassy in Kenya on Tuesday hosted a reception to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, with overseas Chinese and Chinese institutions in Kenya.
The Spring Festival, which marks the start of a new year on the Chinese lunar calendar, is the biggest annual holiday for the Chinese people, and sees people across the country return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families and friends. This year, it falls on Jan 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake.
More than 300 people also attended the reception, including representatives from 20 Chinese community organizations and Chinese institutions, Chinese staff from the United Nations Nairobi office, Chinese media in Kenya and members of the Confucius Institutes.
Speaking at the reception, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan extended sincere Spring Festival greetings and best wishes to the Chinese community in Kenya.
She recalled the achievements on the journey of Chinese modernization, the practice of the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and the flourishing exchanges between China and Kenya in various fields over the past year.
She encouraged overseas Chinese and Chinese institutions in Kenya to work together to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and make new and greater contributions to building an even closer China-Kenya community with a shared future in the new era.
The highlight of the event was the stunning debut of the 2025 Spring Festival Gala promotional video of the China Media Group (CMG), which captivated many attendees.
The event also featured traditional cultural exhibits, including calligraphy, paper-cuttings and New Year paintings.
An art troupe from central China's Henan Province showcased traditional opera, Shaolin kung fu and hand-made clay figurines, adding to the joyful atmosphere of the celebration.
Chinese Embassy in Kenya hosts reception to celebrate upcoming Spring Festival
China's young consumers are increasingly embracing the emerging emotion-driven consumption, seeking purchases that resonate with their personal emotions, values, and identities.
As China's economy develops and urbanization advances, emotional value has become a key factor in young consumers' purchasing decisions. Products and services that evoke happiness, comfort and warmth can connect more deeply with consumers and foster stronger relationships.
"In today's fast-paced world, people may easily feel anxious. But if emotional value is maximized, it can inspire a person's drive or lift their spirits. This is really important," said a young consumer.
Products offering emotional value don't necessarily need specific functions. According to the "2024 McKinsey China Consumer Report," 64 percent of consumers now prioritize experience-based services, a preference especially strong among younger generations.
"It's of value as they are purchased under particular circumstances, not like online shopping. So, it's a completely different experience," said a youth.
As consumer demand for emotional value increases, companies are looking to go beyond simply selling products. Guo Xinghua, co-founder of Folotoy, a company specializing in companionship toys, highlighted how his business taps into this emotional need.
"This toy can provide you with a sense of affinity and a very natural interaction. For example, you can gently squeeze its little hand. It's a kind of interaction that feels almost human-like," he said.
Beyond offering companionship and emotional value, such products can also serve in various other contexts.
"A family member of an autistic patient said, 'my niece has autism, but loves Peppa Pig.' He hopes that with our toy, she can chat with Peppa and be more willing to communicate with others. And I think this is something that really touched me at the time," Guo said.
With the growing emotional demand from consumers, companies are also shifting from simply selling products to creating more meaningful experiences, using emotions to shape both products and services.
China's young consumers increasingly embrace emerging emotion-driven consumption