China's performing arts market rakes in 2.1 billion yuan of revenue during May Day holiday

China's performing arts market raked in over 2.1 billion yuan (about 299 million U.S. dollars) of revenue during the May Day holiday, with total ticket sales reaching across a diverse range of stagecraft categories.

According to data from the China Association of Performing Arts, 33,500 commercial performances (excluding those in entertainment venues) were held across China during the five-day holiday from May 1-5, with combined ticket sales expanding by 3.6 percent compared to last year. The number of attendees reached 10.3 million, up by 0.47 percent year on year.

During the holiday, professional theater performances made up the majority of all commercial performances, covering drama, musicals, operas, acrobatics, and traditional Chinese opera. The total box office of large-scale commercial performances -- those with over 5,000 audience members -- reached 1.2 billion yuan (about 168 million U.S. dollars) during the May Day holiday, marking a 5 percent year-on-year increase.

The surge in interest in performances also helped drive cultural tourism spending during the five-day period, with hotels, restaurants, and shops benefiting from a surge in customers drawn by the performances.

In scenic tourism areas, diversified performances during the May Day holiday significantly enhanced the cultural experiences of visitors. Nationally, large and medium-sized tourism performance projects saw ticket sale revenues reaching 685 million yuan (about 95 million U.S. dollars), up 9.08 percent year on year, with audience numbers reaching 5.58 million, an increase of 6.11 percent.

China's performing arts market rakes in 2.1 billion yuan of revenue during May Day holiday

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation