Across continents, from Greece to Uganda and from Malaysia to Egypt, cultural festivities have been held in recent days in celebration of the Spring Festival, inviting local communities to experience the richness of Chinese traditions firsthand.
This year's Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, fell on Tuesday, ushering in the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
In central Athens, capital of Greece, a "Happy Spring Festival" event filled Kotzia Square with a festive atmosphere.
The celebration, now in its 10th consecutive year in Greece, drew nearly 20,000 participants.
"Happy New Year! We are sister cities with Beijing. We are sister cities with Shanghai. I went to Shanghai a few months ago and we have very strong communication bridges and I am sure that cultural activities and many other activities out there will help building our friendship," said Haris Doukas, mayor of Athens.
In Kampala, Uganda, a temple fair celebrating Chinese New Year brought a festive atmosphere to the city. Performance groups from both China and Uganda staged vibrant shows for audiences, jointly welcoming the Year of the Horse.
"I wish the Chinese community and all the people who are here to celebrate a joyous and prosperous Spring Festival. May the New Year inspire us to work towards a more harmonious and prosperous world," said Jessica Alupo, vice president of Uganda, at the event.
In Kuala Lumpur, a cultural festival themed on the Spring Festival was held amid vibrant market stalls, festive adornments, dragon and lion dances, and opera performances, attracting throngs of revelers from home and abroad.
"It's so lively and bustling. It's great for children to see how traditional festivals are celebrated and to understand Chinese culture," said a local resident.
Meanwhile, landmarks around the world lit up in "China Red" to mark the occasion, including the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, Egypt's Iconic Tower, the tallest building in Africa, and the newly constructed Vrbas Nova railway station on the Serbia section of the Hungary-Serbia Railway.
World joins China in welcoming Year of Horse with colorful festivities
World joins China in welcoming Year of Horse with colorful festivities
The 2026 China Media Group (CMG)'s Spring Festival Gala, which aired from Monday night to Tuesday in celebration of the Chinese New Year, offered a joyous audiovisual feast to audiences both at home and abroad, setting new records in viewership.
As of 08:00 on Tuesday, the gala's total media reach in China soared to 23.063 billion views, a 37.3-percent increase compared to the previous year. The live broadcast captured a remarkable 79.29 percent share of the national television market, achieving a 13-year high. During the gala time, the average number of viewers (or listeners) online simultaneously reached 325 million, with peak viewership exceeding 400 million.
The gala's viewership on Chinese new media platforms reached new heights this year. The total number of direct-on-demand views skyrocketed to 16.207 billion, a 49 percent year-on-year increase. Among these, CMG's own app recorded a total playback volume of 770 million, up 2.7 percent year on year. Live broadcast playback reached 605 million times, an increase of 60.05 million compared to last year. The accessible version of the gala accumulated a direct-on-demand playback volume of 28.3366 million on CMG's channels and apps, representing an impressive 144 percent year-on-year increase.
The gala's online popularity continued to climb, with nearly 2,000 topics trending. As of 13:00 on Tuesday, the total reading volume for topics related to the 2026 gala reached 27.12 billion. Major platforms experienced a surge in trending discussions, listing a total of 1,939 topics. Among the viewers across all media channels for the gala, young users accounted for a growing share of 41.82 percent, an increase of 1.35 percentage points from the previous year. Mentions of programs related to new quality productive forces also rose, with content about AI and humanoid robots making up 20.99 percent, reflecting a remarkable 5.4-fold increase. Meanwhile, CMG reported the gala globally through 85 foreign language platforms. CGTN's (China Global Television Network) related reports reached a global readership of 2.309 billion, while video views totaled 843 million, representing increases of 32.85 percent and 43.61 percent, respectively, compared to last year. The CMG coordinated with nearly 4,000 media outlets worldwide to provide simultaneous broadcasts and coverage of the gala, marking a 37.95 percent increase. A total of 4,062 public screens across 140 cities from 98 countries livestreamed and promoted the event, with the number of countries and screens rising by 12.6 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively, compared to last year.
2026 Spring Festival Gala achieves record-breaking viewership, global reach
