Chinese leaders attended a 2026 New Year gala featuring traditional opera on Tuesday evening in Beijing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as other Party and state leaders, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng, watched the show at the National Center for the Performing Arts, alongside people from all walks of life.
The gala featured excerpts of classic operas and fine new creations showcasing the vibrant and diverse development of traditional Chinese opera.
Chinese leaders attend New Year gala featuring traditional opera
Chinese leaders attend New Year gala featuring traditional opera
Chinese leaders attend New Year gala featuring traditional opera
Recently released footage has captured a tender moment between caretaker and panda cubs at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
In a video filmed at the base's Star Giant Panda Nursery House, a caretaker is seen carrying one cub under each arm and placing them on the grass, allowing them to bask briefly in the winter sunshine. The cubs were then seen crawling and playing on a wooden log.
The Chengdu base is a world-renowned center for the ex-situ conservation of giant pandas. It also serves as a hub for scientific research, public education and eco-tourism. The institution is internationally recognized for its efforts to protect and breed giant pandas, red pandas and other endangered wildlife species native to China.
The panda cubs were born at the breeding base in 2025.
Caretaker carries panda cubs under both arms into sunshine
