Wuhan showcases vitality as sub-venue of Spring Festival Gala

China

Wuhan showcases vitality as sub-venue of Spring Festival Gala

2025-01-29 00:06 Last Updated At：18:07

The 2025 Spring Festival Gala sub-venue in Wuhan of Hubei Province on Tuesday night delivered a spectacular set of performances showcasing the city's vitality as a key hub in the heart of China.

Hosted by the China Media Group (CMG), the gala this year features four sub-venues in addition to the main stage in Beijing, namely Chongqing Municipality, Lhasa City in Xizang Autonomous Region, Wuhan City in Hubei Province, and Wuxi City in Jiangsu Province.

As a key junction city in central China, the gala showed off Wuhan's charm with scenes depicting its bustling night-life and vibrant culture, with ferries sailing on the Yangtze River.

With its grand stage set next to the city's landmark Yellow Crane Tower, the Wuhan sub-venue presented a host of high energy performances, including an opera performance blending different styles of traditional Chinese operas harmoniously together, as well as engaging dance routines, innovative presentations of acrobatics, and music played on the Guqin, a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument originating from the region.

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.

Recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's most-watched annual TV program, 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.

Spokesman on pandas gifted to Taiwan

Giant pandas at the Taipei Zoo are gifts from the Chinese mainland to Taiwan compatriots and certain Japanese politicians' remarks about Japanese zoos' panda exchange negotiations with the Taipei Zoo are absurd, said a spokesman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

In response to a question regarding such remarks at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday, Peng Qing'en, the spokesman, said such claims by certain Japanese politicians are nothing but a pipe dream.

The claims from Japan came out as the panda lease agreement between China and Japan is about to expire, and the last two giant pandas in Japan will return to China in early 2026.

"Certain Japanese politicians' absurd remarks are nothing but a pipe dream. The giant pandas gifted to the Taiwan region are gifts from mainland compatriots to their Taiwan folks. They represent an important achievement in the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and are deeply cherished by Taiwan compatriots, especially youngsters, bringing them joy and fond memories. As the national treasure, giant pandas deserve to be cherished by compatriots on both sides of the Strait. If Taiwan separatist forces dare to use giant pandas as a tribute to curry favor with Japan, they are bound to face the wrath of compatriots on both sides of the Strait," Peng said.