American pop rock band OneRepublic performed one of their most famous hits during the 2025 Spring Festival Gala which was broadcast live on Tuesday.
From the stage of one the gala's sub-venues in Wuhan of central China, the American band delivered a passionate performance of their popular single 'Counting Stars' in front of the city's Yellow Crane Tower.
The group previously shared their excitement at being a part of the gala, which is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's most-watched annual TV program. The group also extended Chinese New Year wishes to all the Chinese people in a post on their official account on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
The annual gala, also known as "Chunwan", was first broadcast in 1983 and is seen as a major cultural symbol for Spring Festival celebrations in China. The hours-long television extravaganza attracts over a billion views every year.
The 2025 Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on Wednesday this year, ushering in the Year of the Snake.
American band OneRepublic performs on 2025 Spring Festival Gala
American band OneRepublic performs on 2025 Spring Festival Gala
American band OneRepublic performs on 2025 Spring Festival Gala
International tourists are more and more seeking to engage in Chinese culture in depth by traveling historic cities beyond traditional destinations with growing interest in staying longer.
In Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of Henan in central China, 19 Portuguese tourists enjoyed walking through an extensive rammed earth building complex.
Roaming in alleys of the scenic area, they learned more about the agrarian civilization in China and the famous Yellow River.
They had toured around multiple historic cities in Henan, including Kaifeng, Luoyang, and Anyang, in their 11-day stay in China, during which they watched various performance and experienced intangible cultural heritage.
"It's beautiful. It's completely beautiful. I want to make a lot of them. I will put it at my door. So, I have a lot of luck to come here again," said Ana Vilaca, a member of the Portuguese tour group, after experiencing Chinese woodblock printing in the Zhengzhou-based scenic area.
"[I am] very interested in this kind of tourism, not only tourism, but also to learn many things about culture and traditions and everything about China," said Paulo Mesquita Pinto, another of the group, as he experienced Chinese calligraphy in Zhengzhou.
The tour was organized by a Chinese school in Portugal, which offers a good opportunity for students and even their friends and relatives to experience Chinese culture in person.
"We didn't expect such enthusiasm. There were many applicants, who are not confined to our students, there are their friends and relatives," said Chen Qiaoqiao, a teacher in the school.
China has been witnessing booming inbound arrivals thanks to the country's visa-free policies.
It now offers unilateral visa-free entry to nationals of 50 countries. Nationals from 55 countries can now utilize the 240-hour visa-free transit program to enter China via 65 designated ports.
"Definitely. Yeah, we can very flexible to come and go as we need to do business. It's good," said Justin Wird, an international traveler, after landing in an airport in Zhengzhou.
Official data showed China's border inspection agencies handled a record 369 million inbound and outbound crossings in the first half of 2026, up 10.8 percent year on year. Among them, mainland residents accounted for 176 million trips, while foreign nationals made 45.9 million trips, with both figures registering double-digit growth.
Int'l tourists seek Chinese culture in depth
