Song celebrating female entrepreneurial spirit in Yiwu features during Lantern Festival Gala

An inspiring song based around the theme of female entrepreneurship in Yiwu of east China's Zhejiang Province lit up the 2026 Lantern Festival Gala on Tuesday evening, celebrating the city's reputation as a bustling international trading hub which has seen it being dubbed "the world's supermarket".

Hosted by China Media Group (CMG), the long-running gala this year featured four sub-venues in addition to the main stage in Beijing. Taking the grand show to new locations each year has become a new tradition, shining a spotlight on more of China's varied landscapes and cultural traditions.

The performance at the Yiwu sub-venue starred Chinese singer Zhou Bichang, together with local businesswomen who represented the traditional diligence, bravery and perseverance of local merchants in Yiwu. It combined a captivating fusion of music with commercial elements seen in the city's bustling marketplaces.

Amidst lively displays of culture and creativity, the song highlighted Yiwu's rising prominence as the world's largest small commodities market, showcasing its standing as a thriving international trading hub and its ability to blend traditional charm with modern economic influence as part of the spectacular celebration.

Yiwu has long been a dynamic hub in China's opening-up endeavors. The Yiwu International Trade Market has become an important center for foreign trade, housing nearly 80,000 booths offering over two million types of commodities, and maintains trade ties with 233 countries and regions worldwide.

In addition to Yiwu, the other sub-venues for this year's Lantern Festival Gala included Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang in northeast China known as the "ice city," Hefei, the provincial capital of the eastern Anhui Province which has emerged as a prime location for sci-tech innovation, and Yibin in the southwestern Sichuan Province, known for its ancient architecture and picturesque scenery along the banks of the Yangtze River.

The Lantern Festival, observed on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, lands on Tuesday this year, and marks the conclusion of the country's Spring Festival celebrations, which center around the Chinese New Year.

First broadcast back in 1985, the Lantern Festival Gala stages a whole host of entertaining variety performances each year including energetic song and dances, comedy sketches, as well as traditional operas and magic shows, highlighting China's unique cultural charm.

With a history spanning over 2,000 years, the Lantern Festival is deemed an important annual occasion in China, and is a time to admire the full moon, view traditional lantern shows, and eat "Yuanxiao" or "Tangyuan", a traditional ball-shaped Chinese dessert made of glutinous rice.

Song celebrating female entrepreneurial spirit in Yiwu features during Lantern Festival Gala

Refraining from the use or threat of force in international relations is in the fundamental interests of all parties, including Israel, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding a phone conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar at the latter's request.

After listening to Sa'ar's briefing on Israel's position regarding the current situation, Wang said that China has consistently advocated resolving international and regional hotspot issues through dialogue and consultation, and that all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

For many years, China has been committed to promoting a political settlement of the Iran nuclear issue, Wang said, adding that recent talks between Iran and the United States had been making clear progress and also addressed Israel's security concerns.

Regrettably, this process has now been disrupted by military strikes, Wang said.

China opposes the military strikes launched by Israel and the United States against Iran. The use of force cannot truly resolve the issue. Instead, it will create new problems and grave repercussions, Wang said.

The true value of military strength lies not on the battlefield but in preventing war, said Wang, noting that China calls for an immediate cessation of military operations to prevent the conflict from further escalating and spiraling out of control.

He said that China has consistently upheld a just position on Middle East issues and will continue to play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation.

Wang also urged the Israeli side to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions.

Sa'ar said that Israel attaches great importance to this matter and will safeguard the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions.

No use or threat of force serves all parties, including Israel: Chinese FM