A touching performance which shone a spotlight on sign language was held during the Lantern Festival Gala on Wednesday to pay tribute to the perseverance of people facing life's challenges, with performers from the China Disabled People's Art Troupe taking to the stage alongside popular Chinese pop singer Liu Yuning.
Hosted by the China Media Group (CMG), the gala boasted a star-studded lineup and delivered a high-tech visual-audio feast for viewers tuning in from around the world to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which landed on Wednesday this year.
The performance started with Liu's lyrics being interpreted in graceful style by a sign language performer, whose movements were reflected onto the star-shaped stage backdrop in a silhouette style.
Later, a larger group from the China Disabled People's Art Troupe joined the singer, and signed out inspirational phrases including "never give up", "hold on right to the end", and "we're all hard-working people", moving some audience members to tears.
This year, the CMG has sought to ensure its gala shows can reach a wider audience through barrier-free broadcasts for the visually impaired and the hearing impaired with highly-experienced staff helping deliver the necessary interpretations. This element was introduced for the first time during the recent Spring Festival Gala, allowing more people to enjoy the televised variety show with family and friends.
First broadcast in 1985, this year's Lantern Festival Gala again staged a whole host of entertaining variety performances including energetic song and dances, comedy sketches, as well as traditional operas and magic shows, highlighting China's unique cultural charm.
The Lantern Festival, observed on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Feb. 12 this year, and marks the conclusion of the country's Spring Festival celebrations, which center around the Chinese New Year.
Heartfelt performance puts spotlight on sign language at Lantern Festival Gala
Heartfelt performance puts spotlight on sign language at Lantern Festival Gala
China will strengthen fiscal and financial coordination to amplify policy effectiveness, experts said as the draft central and local budgets for 2026 were unveiled on Friday at the ongoing fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress.
According to the draft central and local budgets for 2026, 1.3 trillion yuan (190 billion U.S. dollars) of ultra-long special treasury bonds will be issued to provide continued support for the implementation of major national strategies and security capacity-building in key areas and for large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-in programs.
Ultra-long special treasury bonds totaling 800 billion yuan will be allocated to support the implementation of major national strategies and security capacity-building in key areas, and 250 billion yuan in ultra-long special treasury bonds will be earmarked for consumer goods trade-in programs.
The country will refine these programs in terms of their scope and subsidy standards, and continue to support the scrapping and replacement of automobiles, home appliance trade-in schemes, and purchases of new digital and smart products.
China will also set up a 100-billion-yuan fiscal-financial coordination fund to boost domestic demand. The fund will support consumption and private investment through loan interest subsidies, financing guarantee, and risk compensation.
"Fiscal and monetary policies are the two major macroeconomic tools for macro-control, and their coordination is crucial. For instance, fiscal funds primarily serve as a guiding role, while financial institutions provide the capital. When fiscal guidance and financial resources are combined, the synergistic effect creates a result greater than the sum of its parts," said Yang Zhiyong, director of the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences.
"By leveraging interest subsidies, we can mobilize substantial credit from financial institutions, thereby naturally stimulating consumption. The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the People's Bank of China, has introduced highly innovative measures, such as providing guarantees for the issuance of corporate bonds by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and compensating investors for losses. I believe the leveraging effect, making minimal efforts for maximum results, will become even more potent," said Yao Dongmin, director of the Center for China Fiscal Development under the Central University of Finance and Economics.
China's top legislature opened its annual session on Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders attending the opening meeting alongside more than 2,700 NPC deputies. This year's NPC session is scheduled to run till March 12.
China to strengthen fiscal, financial coordination to amplify policy effectiveness: experts
