BEIJING (AP) – Chinese state television showed dancers in blackface portraying Africans in a holiday gala for the second time in three years, sparking criticism online as Asia welcomed the Year of the Ox with muted festivities amid travel restrictions to to contain new outbreaks of the corona virus.
The performance ‘African Song and Dance’ was Thursday at the start of the Spring Festival Gala, one of the world’s most watched TV programs. It included Chinese dancers in African-style costumes and dark make-up on drums.
The five-hour annual program, which state television has said in the past to be watched by as many as 800 million viewers, also included tributes to nurses, doctors, and others who fought the coronavirus pandemic that started in central China in late 2019.
Holidays before the holiday, normally East Asia’s busiest tourist season, are being muted after China, Vietnam, Taiwan and other governments tightened travel restrictions and urged the public to avoid large gatherings following renewed virus outbreaks.
The ruling Communist Party of China is trying to promote an image of unity with African countries as fellow emerging economies. But China Central Television has been criticized for its use of blackface to portray African people in recent New Year broadcasts.
On Twitter, Black Livity China, a group for people of African descent working in or with China, called the broadcast “extremely disappointing.” It noted that CCTV’s 2018 Spring Festival Gala featured performers in blackface with a monkey.
“We cannot overemphasize the impact that scenes like this have on African and Afro-diaspora communities living in China,” the group said.
Elsewhere in China, Buddhist and Taoist temples that are usually packed with vacationers were closed. Streets in big cities were mostly 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 coat and face mask in red, the traditional color of happiness, said she and her family had skipped a visit to their hometown in northern Shanxi province because of the pandemic.
“I wish for safety and health, but also happiness for my family,” said Ji, 62.
The government’s call to the Chinese public to avoid travel is reducing spending on tourism and gifts. But economists say the overall impact could be limited if factories, shops, and factories keep running instead of taking their usual two-week break.
The Commerce Department said it had found 48 million more people in Chinese cities who wanted to celebrate where they live instead of traveling. Flights from Beijing’s two major airports were 75% lower on Wednesday than last year, the Chinese capital’s government reported.
In Taiwan, traders said sales are up 10% -20% this year as Taiwanese celebrated at home with family dinners instead of traveling abroad.
“Business is going well this year. We have even more people, ”said a sausage seller in the capital Taipei, who only mentioned his last name Tsai. “People stay at home and prepare food for the end of the year dinner to share with friends and family.”
AP video journalist Caroline Chen in Beijing and journalist Taijing Wu in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.