Spring Festival Gala promo debuts in Johannesburg

China Media Group's (CMG) 2026 Spring Festival Gala promotional video and cultural products debuted in Johannesburg on Jan 31, drawing more than 150 Chinese and South African political, business, and media representatives ahead of the holiday.

The Spring Festival Gala will be staged on Chinese New Year's Eve on February 16, marking a cherished occasion for families to gather and celebrate the most important festival in the traditional Chinese calendar. Johannesburg, home to more than 300,000 overseas Chinese, witnessed the debut of the 2026 Spring Festival Gala promotional video for the first time. Many Chinese residents gathered to take souvenir photos in front of the event backdrop.

A display of CMG's cultural and creative products, including porcelain collectibles called "Spring Bowl" and "Spring Plate," drew attention from both Chinese and South African visitors alike. The smooth ceramic textures and dynamic horse motifs, reflecting the symbolism of 2026, the Year of the Horse, along with auspicious designs, were praised for their craftsmanship and cultural depth.

South African Member of National Assembly Tshilidzi Bethuel Munyai praised the gala's role in deepening ties between China and South Africa.

"We are so pleased to be part of the Chinese community. The second Spring Festival with the CMG Gala dinner, the most outstanding and powerful gala dinner that we experience. You can see the Chinese community and South Africans together. They are so pleased to experience this fantastic gala dinner because it's a momentum to share Chinese culture, Chinese song, Chinese dance and it's something that we need to experience and it promotes the integration between Chinese people and the South African community. In other words, it promotes Chinese diplomacy of people-to-people relations. That's what I've experienced tonight," he said.

Yan Yuliang, head of a local Chinese business in South Africa, said that the Spring Festival Gala has brought a strong Chinese New Year atmosphere to the country.

"I feel both excited and deeply honored. For Chinese people around the world, the Spring Festival Gala is more than just a cultural performance, it's an emotional bond and a shared cultural memory. This year, the CMG Spring Festival Gala arrived in Johannesburg, bringing its promotional video, cultural and creative products, as well as animated works to the Chinese New Year celebration. It allows everyone to experience the strong festive spirit of the Chinese New Year firsthand, even while living abroad. For overseas Chinese living and working in South Africa, this holds very special meaning. This not only enhances everyone's sense of identification with Chinese culture, but also enables more South African people to learn about the real and vivid China through the Spring Festival Gala," said Yan.

Many South African locals said that the combination of the promo video and cultural displays helped them better understand how Chinese families use everyday items, like bowls and plates, to express hopes for family reunion and a brighter future.

"As South Africans we are elated and very happy to be a part of this. There's a lot to look up for; innovation, creation. And it is very good to be integrating with the world at large," said Bonnie Modiboa, a South African attendee.

This year's Spring Festival falls on February 17 and marks the start of the Year of the Horse, a time traditionally associated in China with family reunions and wishes for good fortune.

Spring Festival Gala promo debuts in Johannesburg

Iraq has seen its aviation industry dealt a huge blow because of continued airspace closures and flight suspensions amid regional hostilities triggered by the recent Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran.

As security concerns persist while tensions remain high, Iraq announced on Friday it would extend the closure of its airspace for one more week as uncertainty over the conflict continues to hang in the air.

It is estimated that the country's aviation industry has lost more than 43 million U.S. dollars over the past month since the crisis erupted, with the war causing huge disruption to air travel across the region.

"After the closure of Iraqi airspace, airport operations were halted, and revenue from both arriving and departing flights was lost. This includes income from passenger services as well as overflying aircraft, which has significantly impacted overall revenues," said Maytham al-Safi, director of media office of the Iraqi Ministry of Transport.

The impact is being felt across the board, from government revenues to private businesses, as some of the leading travel agencies say bookings have completely collapsed, with some reporting daily passenger numbers dropping from around 100 to just five.

"Our company has been directly affected. We have four branches and around 80 employees, and the impact has been significant. We still have rent and other expenses to cover, so we are trying to adapt to whatever limited business is still possible," said Ahmed Khalid, managing director of the Safari Trip travel and tourism company in Baghdad.

With air travel no longer an option, many Iraqis are turning to overland routes -- often traveling for hours, even days, to reach neighboring countries like Türkiye. But the journey is not only longer and more expensive, it can also be highly risky.

"This situation creates real anxiety for families. It's not only the travelers who are at risk, but also the vehicles transporting them. These journeys can be dangerous. There is always the risk of accidents or even drone strikes. At the same time, costs have doubled, so people are facing both financial and safety pressures," said Anwar al-Mousawi, a local resident.

For many, a sense of frustration is growing the longer the current situation drags on, as civilians bear the consequences of a conflict they are not part of, and with no clear timeline for reopening Iraqi airspace, economic losses and public frustration are expected to deepen.

"The reality is, we are in a country that is not part of this war and did not start it, yet we are the ones paying the price," said al-Mousawi.

Iraq's aviation industry left grounded as Middle East crisis continues