Chinese puppet show staged in Chile in celebration of Year of Horse

Chinese performers presented a captivating puppet show in the coastal Chilean city of Vina del Mar, as part of the celebrations for the upcoming Chinese Year of the Horse.

Titled "the Charm of the Oriental Puppet," the show was presented on Tuesday by the renowned Rugao Puppet Art Troupe, whose purpose is to preserve and promote one of the oldest and most representative performing arts of China's cultural tradition.

Through music, movement and visual storytelling, the performances recreated a journey that transcend time and space through classic stories, scenes from Chinese opera and pieces full of humor and poetry. The high artistic standard left a strong impression on the audience.

"It was really amazing and wonderful. The rich and splendid performances were truly eye-opening. It was really special," said Lucila Gomez, a spectator.

Vanessa Grondona, director of the Municipal Theater of Vina del Mar, noted the overwhelming enthusiasm from the audience.

"Our theater was completely packed today, with some people even unable to get in. A full house is a testament to the audience's strong interest in Chinese culture," said Grondana.

The event also featured a promotional video for China Media Group (CMG)'s upcoming 2026 Spring Festival Gala, which has sparked anticipation for the cultural spectacle.

"Through today's Spring Festival Gala promotional video, we witnessed the fusion of traditional and modern culture, making Chinese culture more accessible to the people of Chile," said Roberto Lafontaine, director of the Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation Foundation.

Chinese puppet show staged in Chile in celebration of Year of Horse

Chinese puppet show staged in Chile in celebration of Year of Horse

Chinese puppet show staged in Chile in celebration of Year of Horse

Chinese puppet show staged in Chile in celebration of Year of Horse

A group of Japanese peace activists gathered outside the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday to protest the government's push for constitutional revision and the lifting of a ban on lethal weapons exports.

The Japanese government officially revised the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" and related implementation guidelines on April 21, allowing overseas sales of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities.

Kyodo News, a Japanese news agency, said the changes mark a significant shift in the country's defense policy, noting that it has long touted itself as a "peace-loving nation" under its war-renouncing Constitution since its defeat in World War II.

The protesters accused the Takaichi administration of lifting the export ban without sufficient debate or deliberation in the National Diet.

"Without full discussions in the National Diet, the government just arbitrarily decided on arms exports and made various excuses for it. Also, regarding the incident of intrusion into the Chinese embassy, the government has not issued an apology. Japan should be on friendly terms with neighboring countries, yet it engages in actions that incite confrontation. [Constitutional revision] is truly disturbing. Especially nowadays, the Liberal Democratic Party and Prime Minister Takaichi are pushing for arms exports in order to build a nation capable of waging war. This is absolutely unacceptable," one female protester said.

"As a matter of fact, it [lifting the ban on lethal weapons exports] was arbitrarily decided by the cabinet without any consideration of people's opinions. Revising the pacifist constitution will undoubtedly harm Japan's national interests. I sincerely hope that the Takaichi administration will stop this practice," a male protester said.

"Article 9 of Japan's constitution has gradually, to some extent, been distorted by various faits accomplis. While Japan is nominally a 'peaceful country,' this is not the case in reality," another female protester said.

Protesters rally in Tokyo against arms exports, constitutional revision