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On February 8, the 2026 UAE “Happy Chinese New Year” — Liuyang Fireworks Show from Hunan was successfully held in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. More than 200 friendly representatives from the tourism, media, and other sectors of China and the UAE attended the lighting ceremony, and over 15,000 local residents and tourists watched the fireworks display. At exactly 8:00 p.m., amid great anticipation, splendid fireworks lit up the sky over Marjan Island in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, a new cultural and tourism landmark in the UAE. The words “China,” “UAE,” and “Spring” illuminated the night sky. Chinese cultural performances and other rich activities were also held on site. Local social media influencers held the “Happy Chinese New Year” Auspicious Horse mascot and took photos in front of the fireworks. More than ten major local UAE media outlets and China Media Group covered the event.

The 2026 Dubai “Warm Spring Welcome · Happy Chinese New Year” Spring Festival Concert was held on the evening of February 8 at the Al Wasl Dome Plaza in Expo City Dubai. Oubo Qian, Consul General of China in Dubai, Najib Mohammed Al Ali, Executive Director of the Expo City Dubai Authority, and nearly one thousand guests from the business and arts communities attended the event. The Jilin Provincial Culture and Art Troupe and the Dubai Firdaus Orchestra performed together. Through a musical “dialogue” between the East and the West, they delivered Spring Festival blessings for the Year of the Horse to local audiences, allowing UAE audiences to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the Chinese Spring Festival. The concert opened with the lively and joyful “Spring Festival Overture.” With the accompaniment of the Firdaus Orchestra, Chinese folk music artists began with solo performances on classic Chinese instruments including the bamboo flute, erhu, guzheng, and pipa, and then jointly performed adapted versions of “Whipping the Horse to Hurry the Grain Transport,” “Horse Racing,” “Fishermen’s Song at Eventide,” and “Medley of Chinese Classic Folk Songs,” showcasing to UAE audiences the unique charm of traditional Chinese instruments and their perfect integration with orchestral instruments. Afterwards, the orchestra skillfully performed Chinese classic pieces such as “Jasmine Flower,” “The Yellow River Boatmen’s Song,” and “Yao Nationality Dance” using Western instruments together with Arabic instruments such as the oud and rababa, demonstrating the orchestra’s in-depth understanding and research of Chinese culture and arts in recent years. Finally, the concert concluded with festival classics “Joyful,” “Good News from Beijing Reaches the Frontier Village,” and the Arabic traditional piece “Longua Riad.” Chinese and Western instruments, as well as Chinese and Arabic instruments, blended perfectly in the classic repertoires of both sides, with rhythms complementing each other. Through a “dialogue” of instruments, the musicians created a classic work of mutual learning and exchange among civilizations, vividly interpreting the concept of “each appreciating its own beauty and sharing beauty together.” As a key event of the 2026 Dubai “Warm Spring Welcome · Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Parade, the concert was guided by the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, the Consulate General of China in Dubai, and Expo City Dubai, jointly organized by the China Cultural Center in the UAE, the Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Dubai Firdaus Orchestra, and hosted by the Jilin Provincial Center for International Cultural Exchange.

On February 8, the Dubai “Warm Spring Welcome · Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Parade was grandly held at Expo City. The event was jointly organized by the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in the UAE and Expo City Dubai. Oubo Qian, Consul General of China in Dubai, Zhao Liang, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, important members of the royal families of Dubai and the Northern Emirates, government officials, and friendly representatives from various sectors in the UAE attended the event, with 4,000 guests present. Oubo Qian delivered a speech and stated that this year’s event centered on the theme of “From Tradition to the Future,” and the “Seven Stars in Alignment” for the first time covered all seven emirates of the UAE. We have always upheld the principle of inviting public participation, opening to the public, and sharing with the public. This conveys a clear message that the people have always been the strongest foundation, the most dynamic force, and the warmest bridge of China-Arab relations. The grand parade consisted of 45 contingents, including the Dubai Police ceremonial mounted unit, floats, and future technology displays. More than 60 Spring Festival markets featuring intangible cultural heritage and modern technology attracted nearly 10,000 spectators. Chaoshan Yingge Dance, robot dance, the Yuxiangyuan Song Dynasty traditional wedding, and special performances by Jilin Province and the Ili Song and Dance Theatre were presented one after another. A Spring Festival concert jointly performed by Chinese and Arab artists brought the grand parade to a successful conclusion.

On February 6, the “Nihao!China” Winter Tourism Promotion Event was held at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. According to statistics from the Sheikh Zayed Festival, the number of visitors to the festival site that day was about 18,000. Centered on the theme of China’s winter inbound tourism, the promotional booth played winter tourism promotional videos and set up interactive sessions such as calligraphy and painting experiences, prize quizzes on winter tourism knowledge, and Year of the Horse Spring Festival photo check-ins. Visitors gathered around the booth and actively participated in the experience activities. In the painting area, children used colored pens to draw the winter scenery of China in their minds; in front of the Spring Festival photo check-in spot, families happily took photos with the Auspicious Horse, smiling brightly; participants in the prize quiz gained deeper understanding of China’s winter folk customs and tourism characteristics through Q&A. Many visitors said they hoped to have the opportunity to travel to China in person to experience the authentic festive atmosphere of the Chinese Spring Festival folk customs and winter natural landscapes. On January 30, 31, and February 6, 13 large screens in the Sheikh Zayed Festival venue played winter tourism promotional videos from Beijing, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei, Xinjiang, and other provinces and cities in China on a multi-angle loop, enhancing the visibility of China’s winter tourism products and enabling more local UAE residents to learn about China’s ice-and-snow tourism resources.

On February 6, the 2026 UAE “Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Gala event was successfully held at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi. The Jilin Provincial Culture and Art Troupe and the Hunan Acrobatic Art Theatre performed together. Zhao Liang, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, Mohammed, Chairman of the Sheikh Zayed Festival, and friendly representatives from various sectors of China and the UAE attended the event, experiencing Chinese culture together with UAE audiences and celebrating the Chinese Spring Festival. According to statistics from the Sheikh Zayed Festival, the number of visitors to the festival site that day was about 18,000. In his speech, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Zhao stated that as the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse arrives, “Happy Chinese New Year” has once again come to the well-known Sheikh Zayed Festival, allowing the people of the UAE to experience the joyful and harmonious Spring Festival culture up close. The horse is a shared symbol of both Chinese and Arab cultures and is deeply loved by the peoples of the two countries. He expressed his wish that China-UAE relations in the Year of the Horse will gallop forward like a fine steed, making steady progress and achieving long-term development, and writing a new chapter. The performance opened with the magnificent percussion piece “Drum Spirit,” quickly igniting the atmosphere. The guzheng piece “Moonlit Night on the Spring River,” the pipa piece “Ambush on All Sides,” the dizi piece “Whipping the Horse to Hurry the Grain Transport,” the zhongruan piece “Camel Bells on the Silk Road,” the sheng piece “Joyful Water-Splashing Festival,” and the Chinese folk music ensemble pieces “Blooming Flowers and Full Moon” and “Joyful” successively played Spring Festival blessings. The song “Spring Ballet” expressed the joy of celebrating the Spring Festival together. The acrobatic performance “Ode to the Harvest and Bamboo Hat Song” showcased farming culture with exquisite skills. The magic show “Umbrella and Fruit Fantasy” drew cheers from the audience. The contortion act “Rhythm of Spring” demonstrated strength and beauty. The dances “Jasmine Flower,” “White Horse Dance,” and “Harvest Blessings” pushed the performance to a climax through the combination of traditional Chinese music and dance. The erhu piece “Horse Racing” was passionate and unrestrained, galloping in with blessings for the Year of the Horse. The fireworks show from Liuyang, Hunan, served as the grand finale of the gala, lighting up the night sky of the Sheikh Zayed Festival. The colorful lights complemented the “Auspicious Horse” mascot of “Happy Chinese New Year” on the festival lighthouse, blending with the cheers of the audience and bringing the entire event to a climax, winning rounds of applause. The “Nihao!China” winter tourism promotion event organized by the China Cultural Center in the UAE was highly popular. Centered on the theme of China’s winter inbound tourism, the event booth attracted many local UAE residents through interactive sessions such as winter tourism promotional video screenings, calligraphy and painting experiences, prize quizzes on winter tourism knowledge, and Year of the Horse Spring Festival photo check-ins, enabling participants to gain deeper understanding of China’s winter folk customs and tourism characteristics. The 2026 UAE “Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Gala event was guided by the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, supported by the Hunan Provincial Government, jointly organized by the China Cultural Center in the UAE and the Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and hosted by the Jilin Provincial Center for International Cultural Exchange.

As the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse approaches, the festive atmosphere is growing stronger. On February 5, the China Cultural Center in the UAE and the Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism jointly organized the “Happy Chinese New Year” campus event. The Jilin Provincial Culture and Art Troupe visited Yas School in Abu Dhabi and celebrated the Spring Festival together with more than 300 local teachers and students. Fatima Al Bastaki, head of the UAE Chinese Language Education “Hundred Schools Project,” Fatima Al Hosseini, principal of Yas School, Liu Yang, Director of the China Cultural Center in the UAE, the head of Hamdan Bin Zayed School, as well as student parents from institutions including the Abu Dhabi royal family and the Presidential Court attended the event. Fatima Al Bastaki, Head of the UAE Chinese Language Education “Hundred Schools Project,” Delivered a Speech Fatima Al Hosseini, Principal of Yas School, Delivered a Speech The performance opened with the majestic percussion piece “Drum Spirit,” and the powerful drumbeats instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the entire audience. The ethnic-style “White Horse Dance” and the classic Chinese folk music ensemble “Blooming Flowers and Full Moon” showcased the profound heritage and colorful charm of Chinese culture. The magic show “Umbrella and Fruit Fantasy” and the joyful dance “Harvest Blessings,” interspersed throughout the program, delivered wonderful wishes to teachers and students. After enjoying the professional performances from China, students of Yas School were also eager to take part. Primary school students sang the Chinese song “Peking Opera Facial Makeup,” full of unique charm; middle school students worked together to dance with a Chinese dragon; and high school students performed an Arabic traditional dance, bringing the event to a climax.

As the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse approaches, the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year is growing stronger. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, and with the support of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Consulate General of China in Dubai, the 2026 “Happy Chinese New Year” Series of Activities in the UAE will soon be launched in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah. The China Cultural Center in the UAEinvites you to join usto share joyful moments and celebrate the festive spirit of the Spring Festival! 1、2026 Abu Dhabi “Happy Chinese New Year” Chinese Guochao Music Concert The Hunan Federation of Literary and Art Circles Art Troupe will bring an exciting Chinese Guochao music concert to audiences in the UAE. Everyone is welcome to experience the perfect fusion of traditional Chinese music and modern rhythms, conveying the joy and blessings of the Spring Festival. Time January 30 (Friday) – 31 (Saturday), 2026 First Show: 18:50, Second Show: 20:00, Third Show: 21:00 Venue Sheikh Zayed Festival (Main Stage), Abu Dhabi 2、2026 Abu Dhabi “Happy Chinese New Year” Campus Visit The Jilin Provincial Culture and Art Troupe will visit Yas School in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival together with local teachers and students. Performances with Chinese characteristics such as traditional folk music, singing and dancing, and acrobatics will share the cultural meaning of the Chinese Spring Festival with Emirati students. Time February 5 (Thursday), 2026, 10:00 Venue Yas School, Abu Dhabi 3、2026 Abu Dhabi “Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Gala The Jilin Provincial Culture and Art Troupe will present a wonderful and colorful performance featuring traditional folk music, singing and dancing, and magic shows in succession, celebrating the Chinese New Year joyfully together with local audiences. In addition, there will also be a fireworks show and acrobatic performances from Hunan, bringing the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year to its climax. Time February 6 (Friday), 2026 First Show: 18:50, Second Show: 20:00, Third Show: 21:00Fireworks Show: around 21:30 (subject to the actual on-site schedule) Venue Sheikh Zayed Festival (Main Stage), Abu Dhabi 4、2026 Abu Dhabi “Nihao!China” Winter Tourism Promotion Event A grand ice-and-snow celebration has begun, inviting you to embark on a magical winter journey in China. A variety of exciting experience activities, including winter tourism video screenings, on-site interactions, prize quizzes, and Year of the Horse Spring Festival photo check-ins, are all waiting for your participation. Time February 6 (Friday), 2026, 19:00–22:00 Venue Sheikh Zayed Festival, Abu Dhabi 5、2026 Dubai “Warm Spring Welcome · Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Parade As a classic signature event of Dubai’s Spring Festival celebrations, the “Warm Spring Welcome · Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Parade and Spring Festival temple fair will once again make a brilliant appearance at Expo City Dubai. A Spring Festival concert jointly presented by the Jilin Provincial Culture and Art Troupe and the UAE Firdaus Orchestra will follow, making this joyful and energetic Spring Festival carnival not to be missed. Time February 8 (Sunday), 2026, 15:00 Venue Expo City Dubai 6、2026 Ras Al Khaimah “Happy Chinese New Year” Fireworks Show A fireworks show from Liuyang, Hunan, will light up the night sky of Ras Al Khaimah for the first time. Carrying blessings and hopes for the New Year, the dazzling fireworks will bloom like a shower of stars. Let us look forward to a bright future together and welcome the arrival of the New Year! Time February 8 (Sunday), 2026, 20:00 Venue Marjan Island, Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah

With visa facilitation, an increase in direct flight routes, and a deeper understanding of China, more and more tourists from Gulf countries are choosing China as a travel destination. According to statistics and information gathered from relevant authorities in China and Gulf countries, airlines, visa centers, and local ground service agencies, throughout 2025, the number of entries into China by citizens of the six Gulf countries exceeded 150,000, representing an increase of 100.78% compared with 2024. Among them, the number of entries by Saudi and UAE nationals increased by 110% and 113% respectively, and the volume of visa applications by foreign residents of non-Gulf nationalities in the local area also rose significantly. Starting from June 9, 2025, China achieved full visa-free coverage for the six Gulf countries. Taking this opportunity, the Chinese side organized the “Nihao!China” UAE online influencer group to travel to China and livestream “In-depth Travel in China,” showcasing to Arab fans China’s modern cities, classical gardens, beautiful countryside, and history and culture, and generating more than 30 million views on social media platforms at home and abroad. Online influencers from neighboring countries followed suit, creating spontaneous, organic dissemination by livestreaming their trips to China and publishing travel guides to China. Tourists from Gulf countries followed “influencer routes” and “celebrity routes” to travel in China, triggering a wave of “China fever” in outbound tourism. Frequent, efficient, and in-depth business matchmaking and negotiations among tourism enterprises have generated more inbound China tourism products for Gulf countries. In 2025, the Chinese side organized 26 Chinese enterprises to participate in the 2025 Arabian Travel Market, held the 2025 China–Gulf Arab Countries Tourism Exchange Event, and invited travel operators from Gulf countries to travel to Hainan to attend the China International Travel Mart and take part in familiarization trips, expanding the Gulf market for inbound tourism to China. In 2026, the second China–Arab States Summit will be held in China. As practical cooperation between China and Arab countries in various fields continues to deepen, inbound tourism to China from Gulf countries is expected to grow at an even faster pace and become an important growth driver for inbound tourism to China.

In 2025, under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and with the support of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Consulate General of China in Dubai, the China Cultural Center in the UAE pursued innovation and organized a series of cultural exchange and tourism promotion activities, promoting mutual learning and exchange between Chinese and Arab civilizations. 2025 Highlights “Happy Chinese New Year” Series of Activities From January to February 2025, in cooperation with institutions including the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi, the Carcach Diplomatic Academy, Ferrari World, Umm Al Emarat Park, The Galleria shopping mall, and the Al Marmoom camp in Dubai, 12 celebration activities were held for the Year of the Snake “Happy Chinese New Year,” including a grand parade of Chinese new energy vehicles, a Spring Festival temple fair, a touring lantern exhibition, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and cultural performances, attracting about 40,000 local participants on site. 2025 “Arabian Travel Market” In April 2025, the Center organized a delegation of 130 members consisting of 7 tourism authorities from 13 destinations in China and 26 tourism-related enterprises, under the theme of “Nihao!China,” to jointly participate in the 2025 Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai. “519 China Tourism Day” Series of Activities Around China Tourism Day in May 2025, the Center cooperated with Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, the UAE Chinese Language Teaching “Hundred Schools Project,” and the Sharjah Ladies Club to hold the “Meet China Blue” exhibition and experience workshop, the workshop “Stories of Civilization Exchanges in the Forbidden City,” and the China Culture and Tourism Festival, bringing China’s cultural and tourism resources into mainstream art museums, primary and secondary school campuses, and clubs in the UAE. “Tea for Harmony” · Tea Gathering Event In May 2025, the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Center held the “Tea for Harmony” · Tea Gathering event at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation. “Nihao!China” UAE Online Influencers’ Trip to China From May 26 to June 4, 2025, to support China’s announcement of full visa-free coverage for GCC countries, the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Center organized the “Nihao!China” UAE Online Influencers’ Trip to China. Six online influencers visited Shanghai, Suzhou in Jiangsu, Anji in Zhejiang, and Beijing, sparking widespread attention on overseas social media, and travel to China became a “hot keyword” in the UAE. China–Arab Stage Art Exchange In May and December 2025, the Sharjah “Quarter Century Theatre” in the UAE respectively cooperated with the China Institute of Stage Design, the Yinchuan Stage Art Society of Ningxia, and the Shanghai Theatre Academy to carry out China–Arab stage art exchanges. “Nihao!China” Joint Promotion for Inbound Tourism In June 2025, the Chinese Embassy in Bahrain and the Center held a “Nihao!China” Bahrain pop-up tourism promotion event at the City Center shopping mall in Manama. From November to December 2025, the Center, together with Emirates Airline, held the “Nihao!China” Winter Tourism UAE Online Promotion Event. “A Time to Share” China Culture Week Activities In September 2025, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, activities including a comprehensive acrobatic performance from Dezhou, Shandong, a comprehensive presentation of culture and tourism from Chengdu, and a violin solo concert by Lü Siqing were organized, with Chinese and Arab people celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival together. 2025 China–Gulf Arab Countries Tourism Exchange Event In September 2025, support was provided for holding the first “China–Gulf Arab Countries Tourism Exchange Event” in Dubai. A total of 136 buyers and suppliers from China and Gulf Arab countries participated. With the theme of “Nihao!China,” the event carried out two-way displays of tourism resources and business negotiations. China as Guest Country of Honor at the UAE National Festival of Tolerance and Coexistence In November 2025, the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence invited China to participate as the Guest Country of Honor in the 7th “Festival of Tolerance and Coexistence.” The ethnic dance performance by Quanzhou Normal University organized by the Center and the Chinese cultural booth became highlights of the event. Chinese Film Screenings Throughout 2025, support was provided for the theatrical release of “Nezha 2” in the UAE; the film “The Musician” was screened in Abu Dhabi to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War; the 7th UAE China Film Week was held in Dubai, during which four Chinese films including “Little Monsters of Langlang Mountain” were screened in Dubai. Gulf Travel Operators’ Trips to China for Events and Familiarization Tours In October 2025, support was provided for the Dubai Office of Air China to organize UAE travel operators to visit Chongqing and Sichuan. In December 2025, the Center organized a delegation of travel operators from Gulf countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait to travel to Hainan to attend the 2025 China International Travel Mart and participate in a familiarization tour. Once again, thank you for your attention and support for the China Cultural Center in the UAE, and Happy New Year!

On December 19, the 2025 China International Travel Mart, hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, opened in Haikou City, Hainan Province. More than 1,000 travel operators and representatives from 101 countries and regions attended the event. The China Cultural Center in the UAE and Emirates Airline jointly invited a delegation of seven travel operators from Gulf countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait to attend the event in Hainan. During the event, they participated in multiple special promotion sessions and more than 100 one-on-one professional business meetings. The travel operators expanded their networks of local ground-handling agencies, hotels, and attraction suppliers in areas such as holiday tourism, MICE tourism, and business clients, adding more options for further developing inbound China tourism products. During the pre-event familiarization trip in Hainan, the travel operators visited Qionghai, Wanning, Sanya, and Haikou, focusing on understanding local hotels, restaurants, and transportation conditions, and established contacts with multiple local suppliers in Hainan. In preparation for this travel mart, the UAE-based Al-Rais travel company specifically updated its tourism products in November for destinations in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Hong Kong. Emirati travel blogger Abdullah, who participated in the online influencer trip to China in May, specially posted on his social media the article “Six Essential Apps for Traveling to China,” addressing issues related to payment, data, communication, transportation, navigation, translation, and dining. Since China announced in May 2025 the full visa-free coverage for Gulf countries, enthusiasm for traveling to China from Gulf countries has continued to rise. In 2026, the China Cultural Center in the UAE will further carry out online and offline promotions, as well as familiarization trips for travel operators and online influencers, to promote sustained growth in Gulf countries’ enthusiasm for traveling to China.