China embassies in Brazil, Argentina hold Spring Festival receptions

China

China embassies in Brazil, Argentina hold Spring Festival receptions

2026-02-07 17:05 Last Updated At：19:17

China's embassies in Brazil and Argentina this week hosted receptions to welcome the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, drawing hundreds of guests from local political, business and cultural circles as well as overseas Chinese communities.

The Spring Festival, which falls on Feb 17 this year, is one of the most important holidays in China, celebrated with family reunions and wishes for good luck in the coming year. This year's Spring Festival marks the beginning of the Year of the Horse.

Watching the Spring Festival Gala on television is a cherished part of the celebrations in hundreds of millions of Chinese homes. The gala will be broadcast live around the world on the Chinese New Year's Eve on February 16.

In Brasilia, capital of Brazil, more than 300 attendees joined the Chinese embassy's celebration on Wednesday, which featured traditional festivities and cultural displays. A promotional video of China Media Group (CMG) annual Spring Festival Gala was shown on large screens, sparking lively reactions among guests.

Maria Gomes, a former adviser to the World Health Organization and Brazil's Ministry of Health, said the promotional video gave her a vivid impression of the scale and vibrancy of Chinese New Year celebrations.

"Brazilians love to start a new year with a festival that represents good fortune and joy, like the Spring Festival. We're very excited to be living in a period of very great friendship between Brazil and China. I want to wish all the Chinese people, including children, parents, and the elderly, a beautiful year in the Year of the Horse, a year of prosperity, luck, and a lot of family harmony," she said.

On Tuesday, the Chinese embassy in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, held a similar event to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Overseas Chinese, representatives of Chinese companies, media, Confucius Institutes and students gathered to mark the Year of the Horse.

A promotional video of the CMG Spring Festival Gala was shown as part of the cultural event, highlighting China's cultural confidence and helping strengthen ties among overseas Chinese.

Attacks targeting civil facilities unjustifiable under international law: Iranian president

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday condemned U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian civil facilities including schools and hospitals as unjustifiable under international law and humanitarian principles.

Iran does not seek war and instability and always insists on dialogue and constructive engagement with other countries, Pezeshkian said in a meeting with a group of medical staff in Tehran.

Pezeshkian condemned the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, saying Iran had committed no crime.

"When they [the United States and Iran] attack schools, and maternity wards in hospitals, they don't respect any humanitarian principles. It's shameful and the world needs to see this. They claim we are terrorists, but they are the real terrorists who massacre anyone, anywhere, anytime they want. Now they stand on the stage and talk about human rights. It's shameful," he said.

Pezeshkian stated that the unity and cohesion of the Iranian people had thwarted enemy plots. He also praised the professionalism shown by the Iranian Red Crescent Society during the war.

The 40-day U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, starting Feb 28, killed Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and more than 3,000 civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East.

A two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States took effect on April 8. Lengthy talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations were later held in Pakistan's Islamabad, but failed to produce an agreement.