BEIJING (AP) – Chinese state television featured black-faced dancers representing Africans during a national broadcast as Asia welcomed the Lunar Year of the Bull with moderate festivities Friday amid travel sidewalks to contain coronavirus outbreaks renovated.
The performance of “African Dance and Song” on Thursday began at the start of the Spring Festival Gala, one of the most watched TV shows in the world. It included Chinese dancers in African-style costumes and dark-faced makeup beating drums.
The five-hour annual program, which state television has said is seen by up to 800 million viewers in the past, also included tributes to nurses, doctors and others who fought the coronavirus pandemic that began at the center. from China in late 2019.
Holiday parties, usually the busiest tourist season in East Asia, are silenced after China, Vietnam, Taiwan and other governments tightened travel limits and urged the public to avoid large meetings after the renewal of virus outbreaks.
The ruling Communist Party of China seeks to promote an image of unity with African nations as partners in developing economies. But state broadcaster China Central Television has been criticized for using the black face to represent African people in past New Year’s broadcasts.
On Twitter, Black Livity China, a group of people of African descent working in or with China, called the broadcast “very disappointing.” It was noted that the 2018 Spring Festival Gala of CCTV featured performers in black face with a monkey.
“We cannot highlight enough the impact scenes like these in the African and aphrodisiac communities living in China,” the group said.
Elsewhere in China, Buddhist and Taoist temples that are usually full of worshipers were closed. The streets of the major cities were largely empty.
Visitors gathered in front of the closed doors of the Tibetan-style Lama Temple on the north side of Beijing to burn incense and pray.
Ji Jianping, who wore a jacket and face mask in red, the traditional color of good fortune, said she and her family skipped a visit to their hometown in northern Shanxi province due to the pandemic. .
“I wish safety and health as well as happiness for my family,” said Ji, 62.
The government’s appeal to Chinese citizens to avoid travel is a nuisance in spending on tourism and gifts. But economists say the overall impact could be limited if factories, shops and factories continue to operate instead of taking the usual two-week break.
The Ministry of Commerce said it found 48 million more people in Chinese cities who planned to celebrate where they live instead of traveling. Departures from Beijing’s two major airports fell 75 percent from last Wednesday, the Chinese capital’s government said.
In Taiwan, traders said sales this year are up between 10% and 20% because Taiwanese celebrate at home with family dinners instead of traveling abroad.
“The business is good this year. We have even more people, “said a sausage seller in the capital, Taipei, who would only give his last name, Tsai.” People stay home and prepare food for the end-of-year dinner to share with friends. and relatives. “
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AP video journalist Caroline Chen in Beijing and journalist Taijing Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.