Amid trade tensions between China and the U.S., an American state has opened doors for a Chinese Spring Festival Gala to be staged in their region.
Xinhua reported that the gala will be staged in Houston sometime February. The news was announced during the weekend at a press conference.
The organizer said the Chinese Spring Festival gala to be held in Houston will feature a lot of entertaining acts including Peking opera, dancing, singing, and playing of traditional Chinese instruments. It is expected that art groups from the area will also take part in the acts.
For Houston Deputy Chinese Consul General Liu Hongmei, the gala is "a good way to express the thoughts on the loved hometown, the inheritance of traditional Chinese culture and the good wishes to the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year."
The announcement came as China and the U.S. continue to communicate for a trade deal. Previously, the U.S. delegation visited Beijing and tried to come up with an agreement with Chinese officials. However, a deal wasn't reached.
Despite disputes between China and the U.S., Houston doesn't seem too affected as its approval of the gala is seen by experts as a way of celebrating culture with the Chinese people.
Aside from a gala in Houston, China's Spring Festival has also ignited a travel rush within the country as families plan trips with their relatives. Others are also traveling back to their hometowns for one of the country's most important holidays.
China's railway launches late last year seem to be working in favor of the upcoming event. The 10 new high-speed railways are expected to help ease travel discomfort for many Chinese citizens who will spend time with their families.
With a couple of railway stations spearheading the "ticketless travel" movement, travelers are expected to get to their destinations faster and more conveniently.
The Global Times reported that air trips are also expected to soar as the Chinese Spring Festival nears. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is expecting around 73 million trips this year. The numbers are up by 12 percent this year compared to figures obtained in 2018.
To cope with the huge number of air travels during China's Spring Festival, some of the country's major airlines, including China Eastern and Air China, have pledged to increase flights all throughout the celebrations.
China's Spring Festival for 2019 starts on February 4 and will end February 10. The Chinese Lunar New Year is on Tuesday, February 5.
