Global audiences celebrate Chinese New Year with Spring Festival Gala

The Spring Festival Gala has become an indispensable part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, as the fantastic program reached audiences far beyond the Chinese mainland, from bustling Hong Kong to snowy Stockholm.

Produced by China Media Group (CMG) and aired on Tuesday, this year's gala has also been well received by audiences around the globe.

In the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, watching the Spring Festival Gala has become a must for many local families in addition to eating New Year's Eve dinner.

"The Spring Festival Gala seems to be an indispensable dish of the New Year's Eve dinner. It brings a sense of ceremony for the New Year's Eve dinner and makes the New Year's Eve more complete," said a local resident.

"The Spring Festival Gala is getting better and better each year. There are many new faces that young people like us are familiar with, and popular stars. And the singing and dancing performances are also much more innovative. The stage design is even more impressive. In a word, the Spring Festival Gala is really getting more and more exciting," said another local resident.

Across continents in Swedish capital of Stockholm, members with the Chinese proficiency competition "Chinese Bridge" Club in Stockholm and the Beijing natives association gathered together to watch the live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala and to embrace the festive spirit. Dressed in traditional Chinese costumes, the club members also took part in writing the Chinese character of "fu" which symbolizes good fortune.

"I think it's quite meaningful to watch CMG's Spring Festival Gala here in Stockholm. The Chinese New Year is a festival for everyone. We gather to eat dumplings, celebrate together, and watch the gala. It brings the atmosphere of spring to the Swedish winter," said a member with the club.

"In Sweden, we love chorus singing, so the chorus performances in the gala are probably my favorite. But all of the performances are amazing. And I think this year's gala is even better than before," said another member with the club.

The Spring Festival Gala is broadcast annually on the eve of the Chinese New Year on CMG's flagship CCTV-1 and internationally through the China Global Television Network (CGTN). The gala has the largest audience of any entertainment shows in the world and is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's most watched television program.

The 2025 version of the very gala is the first one since the Spring Festival was officially recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage last month.

Global audiences celebrate Chinese New Year with Spring Festival Gala

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Brasilia on Wednesday, expressing the willingness to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation.

Lula said that Brazil and China have built strong mutual trust and deepened cooperation across various fields, showing that Brazil's steadfast friendship with China is the right choice and a model for South-South cooperation.

He said that he looks forward to maintaining close high-level exchanges with China, further strengthening economic and trade ties, and expanding the mutually beneficial cooperation in finance, energy and other fields.

China's firm and forceful countermeasures against the "reciprocal tariffs" is admirable, said the Brazilian president, noting that China's just actions have received widespread support while certain country's irresponsible and unilateral practices warrant joint resistance.

Brazil is willing to work with China to advocate free trade, defend international rules, and counter any power overriding international justice, the president added.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China is willing to work with Brazil to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and push for more outcomes in building a China-Brazil community with a shared future.

China will strengthen its cooperation with BRICS and Global South countries, adhere to multilateralism and safeguard international rules, he said.

On the same day, Wang attended the 15th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security in Brasilia.

Brazilian president meets Chinese FM on closer ties, cooperation