Grand Spring Festival parade brings joy to revelers in London

Central London burst into color and activity on Sunday as a grand Chinese New Year parade and other festivities drew thousands of revelers to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Horse.

The parade, featuring vibrant dragon and lion dances, thundering drum performances, and various Chinese cultural displays with costumed performers, is the centerpiece of the annual Spring Festival bash in the British capital, which is believed to be the biggest Chinese New Year celebration in the West. This year's Spring Festival fell on Feb 17.

Organized by the London Chinatown Chinese Association, this year's festival procession started at around 10:00 from the east corner of Trafalgar Square and snaked around the entire Chinatown.

Crowds turned out in force to join the festivities, with some donning traditional Chinese clothing to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere.

"I grew up in China, so it's home to me actually. My family lives there, and I just think that being able to come here and still have that culture and experience here whilst being away from home really makes me feel quite at home," said a reveler.

"Honestly, the atmosphere is crazy, the color and everything and seeing people jump around. It's honestly amazing," another said.

Debbie Weekes-Bernard, deputy mayor of London, said the event is a chance to both celebrate Chinese culture and bring communities of different backgrounds closer.

"Having events like this that bring communities together from lots of different backgrounds to both celebrate our Chinese community, but also to stand alongside them and to have a good time," she told China Global Television Network (CGTN).

Sunday's celebration also included an opening ceremony, during which Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang gave a speech and reminded attendees of China's new visa-free policy for UK citizens.

In a major step to strengthen people-to-people exchanges between China and the UK, China now allows ordinary UK passport holders to enter visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, and transit starting Feb 17, 2026. The policy stays in effect until December 31, 2026.

"You no longer need a visa to travel to China. So, I hope you will seize this new opportunity, travel to China to see the great landscapes, meet the great people, and make connections," Zheng said to the cheering crowds.

Grand Spring Festival parade brings joy to revelers in London

With China assuming the rotating presidency on Friday, the United Nations Security Council will focus its work in May on revitalizing the authority of the UN Charter and the role of the United Nations, while advancing the political settlement of the Middle East issue, and promoting the stability and development of African countries.

Briefing reporters on the Security Council's priorities for May, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations and president of the Security Council for May, made the statement on Friday.

In recent years, the world has been witnessing growing turbulence in the international landscape, with conflicts increasing, divisions widening, and the multilateral system, along with international law, under considerable strain, he said, urging the international community to take urgent actions to uphold the authority of the UN Charter and strengthen the role of the United Nations to prevent the world from "relapsing into the jungle" and "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war".

In this context, Fu said, the Security Council will convene a high-level open debate in May under the theme of upholding the purposes and the principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.

Security Council to focus on UN's role, Middle East, Africa in May: Chinese envoy