As the 2026 Spring Festival approaches, countries around the world are hosting a wide range of cultural events, concerts and festivities to celebrate the occasion, highlighting growing people-to-people exchanges and shared goodwill.

The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional holiday for Chinese people. In recent years, the joy of the festival has been reaching more cultures around the world.

On Saturday, the 2026 China-Vietnam Good-Neighborliness and Friendship Spring Festival Concert was held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, along with several members of the Politburo, attended the event together with more than 700 representatives from both countries, including members of friendly organizations, Chinese-funded institutions in Vietnam, media professionals and students.

During the concert, artists from the China National Opera House and Vietnamese performers jointly presented works including Spring Festival Overture and The Butterfly Lovers, drawing applause and strong emotional responses from the audience.

"We are like one family. This is extremely precious. I truly believe that the more activities like this we have, the deeper the friendship between our two peoples will become," said Dong Quang Vinh, a Vietnamese conductor.

In the Polish town of Otrebusy, a "Happy Spring Festival" cultural performance themed on traditions of ancient states of Jing and Chu was held on Friday, attracting around 600 local residents.

Chinese artists presented a variety of performances, showcasing the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture to local audiences.

"It is very good that this ensemble has come to visit us, to Poland, and that we had Pleasure and privilege to welcome the new Horse Year together. The more Chinese culture we will have elsewhere in the world, the better for the world," said Grzegorz Kolodko, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Poland.

On Saturday, the 2026 Happy Spring Festival temple fair and cultural performance marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria was also held on in the Nigerian capital city of Abuja, drawing widespread participation.

"Happy Spring Festival, I wish them prosperity, I wish them success, and I wish for an even greater partnership between Nigeria and China," said Judy Melifonwu, Director of International Relations for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership Office.

In the United Arab Emirates, a 10-minute fireworks display from the world's fireworks hub of Liuyang, Hunan Province, lit up the night sky on the night of February 8 to welcome the Year of the Horse.