China Minutes celebrated Chinese New Year with a special Year of the Horse newspaper distributed during the festivities in London on Sunday 22nd.
The special newspaper was warmly received by locals and tourists celebrating Chinese New Year in London, during the festivities in Trafalgar Square and Chinatown on Sunday 22nd February.
Distributed throughout the day, it was widely read by those who received a copy. Others took pictures with the newspapers mascot, a giant panda named Quan Ge. While taking photos with the giant panda Quan Ge, many tourists enthusiastically said “Happy New Year”, some even in fluent Chinese. Others shared what their zodiac signs were while reading the horoscope section of the newspaper. One new resident in London, originally from Spain, said: “My friend and I just moved to London in January, and we came today specifically to participate in this event. I really like China… last year I visited.”
Copies were also given to special guests of the Chinese New Year celebrations. This included London Deputy Mayor Debbie Weekes-Bernard, who posed for a photo holding the Year of the Horse China Minutes Newspaper.
Speaking to China Minutes during the celebrations, London Deputy Mayor Debbie Weekes-Bernard described the event as “fascinating.” She noted that the number of attendees and scale of the London Chinese New Year celebrations has been increasing year by year. When asked about visiting China following the visa-free policy for British passport holders officially implemented on February 17th, she stated that while she doesn’t have any concrete plans yet, she very much hoped to have the opportunity to visit China in the future.
The newspaper is a full-color, 12-pages and richly illustrated. The entire edition this year is themed “Celebrating the Year of the Horse.” It is divided into multiple sections including: Horse Myths, Culture, and Art, A Guide to Chinese New Year Activities in London, Newly Opened Chinese Restaurants, The Power of the Horse, and a Guide to Visa-Free Travel to China. The horoscope section and visa free travel advice proved particularly popular. This is the tenth anniversary of the Spring Festival special edition, following the European Times’ Year of the Rooster special edition in 2017.
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