Various cultural events showcasing folklore and traditions have been held across China to celebrate the Spring Festival holiday, which runs from January 28 to February 4 this year.
In Chaozhou City, in south China's Guangdong Province, performances featuring the richly traditional Yingge dance were staged in streets and alleys, immersing visitors in its passionate moves and rhythmic musical beats.
In Yulin City, in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, the lively Yanko dance, with its energetic movements and resounding performances of traditional Chinese musical instruments such as suonas, gongs, and drums, created a festive atmosphere for every visitor.
An ancient town in Meishan City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, has drawn flocks of visitors with intangible cultural performances such as Sichuan Opera.
Meanwhile, in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, visitors were captivated by dancers gracefully twirling in vibrant ethnic costumes, immersing themselves in the rich cultural atmosphere.
"The festive atmosphere is really strong, especially the grand parade of floats; it was so well organized. I've had a deeply meaningful Spring Festival holiday," said tourist Zhang Shuyou.
The sub-venues of the just-concluded 2025 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala remain highly popular during the holiday.
In Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, visitors have flocked to landmarks featured in the gala, such as the Yellow Crane Tower, where they can enjoy panoramic views and traditional chime music.
During the holiday, bustling commercial streets across the city, including Shanhaiguan Road, have been packed with tourists drawn by the local specialty foods.
Meanwhile, from Wednesday to Friday, the Qingming Bridge Cultural Block in Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province, welcomed 530,000 visits, marking a year-on-year increase of nearly 30 percent.
"This is the beautiful Jiangnan, which I find very fascinating. So I traveled here from another region. The New Year atmosphere here is especially strong, full of festive charm and vitality," said tourist Wang Xue.
Lantern shows have illuminated the nightlife of various cities during the holiday. At Qianmen Gate in central Beijing, a 9.2-meter-diameter inflatable lantern adorned with traditional floral patterns was installed along the nearby commercial pedestrian street.
In Guangfu Ancient City, located in Handan City, north China's Hebei Province, elegant traditional palace lanterns blend with modern technology light displays, making the scenic area shine brilliantly as night falls.
At Laojun Mountain Scenic Spot in Luoyang City, central China's Henan Province, red lanterns have been arranged to spell out the Chinese characters for "Spring Festival," while a dazzling array of colorful lanterns awaits visitors.
"Looking at the lights all over the mountains, I felt mesmerized by the beautiful scenery. This experience is truly unforgettable," shared Gao Yimeng, a visitor enchanted by the breathtaking display.
Folklore, traditional festivities fill Spring Festival across China with vibrant spirit
Foreign diplomats and scholars are looking closely at this year's "two sessions", saying China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will not only chart the nation's economic and technological priorities but also reshape global value chains.
The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation's top political advisory body, opened on Wednesday, followed by the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday. Together known as the "two sessions," these meetings offer a comprehensive view into China's development priorities.
Global observers emphasized that the 15th Five-Year Plan, a blueprint guiding the nation's economic, social, and technological priorities over the next five years, marks a decisive shift toward high‑quality growth anchored in advanced technologies, with ripple effects across the world.
"The two sessions will discuss China's five-year plan, which is heavily oriented toward China's major technological development. I believe this is important because it represents the new blueprint for China's economy, which is now oriented toward the renowned high-quality development, and this will undoubtedly impact the entire world. I think it is worth studying. This is very important for Latin America. It will help us integrate more intelligently into global value chains and into all aspects of the major development that China is promoting in iconic industrial sectors, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space development, where Latin America also has much to contribute beyond just commercial growth," said Gustavo Sabino Vaca Narvaja, former Argentine Ambassador to China.
"The two sessions are a major political milestone in China, and this year's gathering carries even greater significance as this year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. This plan represents not only a blueprint for China, but also a guide for other countries. Instruments like the five-year plan effectively provide greater certainty and predictability for the rest of the world," said Chilean scholar of international relations Ignacio Araya Heredia.
"This is a particularly important date, especially due to the fact that the next Five-Year Plan shall be positioned and we're going to see what its main elements shall be. Serbia, which has a very high degree of steel friendship with the People's Republic of China, can expect further assistance in identifying the most prominent areas of Serbian economy and being helped by its great partner, such as it has been done in the previous period, from one part with establishing the main infrastructure projects, but also reshaping the industrial sector of Serbia, not just Serbia, but the region as a whole," said Veljko Mijuskovic, assistant professor of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Belgrade.
Beyond the policy framework, experts also pointed to China's achievements in green energy and technological innovation as models worth emulating.
Tomasz Bielinski, adjunct professor at the University of Gdansk's Faculty of Economics, said the robotics displays at the 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala reflected China's broader push in technological innovation.
"I was really impressed about the robotics. I'm very impressed with Chinese development in the technological field, we can still make great deals with Chinese businessmen and we can cooperate together to use this technology for both the good of China and the European Union. I'm aware of the innovation especially in autonomous drive on the on the Chinese side," he said.
"We hope for more of China's economic cooperation, especially in trade and also in investment. Also, and the other focus, if I talk about the focus of the development, don't forget about the green energy. We know that China is great in the electric vehicle field. So because China's electric vehicles in Indonesia nowadays, since couple of years ago, are very, very popular," said Al Busyra Basnur, president of the Indonesia-China Friendship Association.
Observers see China's new five-year plan driving high-quality development, global tech shifts
