BEIJING (AP) – Chinese state TV included black-faced dancers portraying Africans at a gala for the second time in three years, sparking online criticism as Asia welcomed the Year of the Ox with quiet festivities amidst to travel to contain new coronavirus outbreaks.
The presentation of “African Song and Dance” on Thursday took place at the beginning of the Spring Gala Festival, one of the most watched TV programs in the world. It included Chinese dancers in African-style attire and dark makeup hitting drums.
The annual five-hour program, which state TV said has been viewed by up to 800 million viewers in the past, also included tributes to nurses, doctors and others who fought the coronavirus pandemic that began in central China in late 2019.
Holiday festivities, usually the busiest tourist season in East Asia, are silenced after China, Vietnam, Taiwan and other governments have restricted travel and urged the public to avoid large gatherings after new outbreaks of viruses.
The Communist Party of China tries to promote an image of unity with African nations as developing economies. But China Central Television has faced criticism for using blackface to portray Africans in previous New Year broadcasts.
On Twitter, Black Livity China, a group of Afro-descendants working in or with China, called the broadcast “extremely disappointing”. He noted that CCTV’s Spring 2018 Gala Festival featured blackface artists with a monkey.
“We cannot emphasize enough the impact that scenes like these have on the African and Afro-diasporic communities living in China,” said the group.
Elsewhere in China, Buddhist and Taoist temples, which are usually packed with holiday worshipers, have been closed. The streets of big cities were almost empty.
Visitors gathered outside the locked gates of the Tibetan-style Lama Temple on the north side of Beijing to burn incense and pray.
Ji Jianping, who wore a red jacket and face mask, the traditional color of good luck, said she and her family had stopped visiting their hometown in northern Shanxi province due to the pandemic.
“I want safety and health, as well as happiness for my family,” said Ji, 62.
The government’s appeal to China’s public to avoid travel is reducing spending on tourism and gifts. But economists say the overall impact may be limited if factories, stores and factories continue to operate, rather than taking the normal two-week break.
The Ministry of Commerce said it found 48 million people in Chinese cities planned to celebrate where they live instead of traveling. Departures from Beijing’s two main airports fell 75% from last year on Wednesday, the Chinese capital’s government said.
In Taiwan, traders said this year’s sales were up 10% to 20% because Taiwanese celebrated at home with family dinners instead of traveling abroad.
“The business this year is good. We have even more people, ”said a sausage vendor in the capital, Taipei, who gave only his last name, Tsai. “People stay at home and prepare food for the New Year’s Eve dinner to share with friends and family.”
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AP video journalist Caroline Chen in Beijing and Taijing Wu in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.