Photo: Weibo
In this year's CCTV Spring Festival Gala, performers from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan are no longer separately labeled as "Hong Kong, China," "Macao, China," and "Taiwan, China" in the program list as was the custom in previous years. Chinese media and observers said the change is heartening and shows that ''we all come from China, there's no need to make distinctions.''
This year's CCTV Spring Festival Gala once again featured many performers from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administration Region, and Taiwan region.
For example, in the opening performance "Ruyi Dance Steps," the performers include Taiwan artist Alec Su You-peng and Hong Kong artist William Chan Wai-ting. The special guest in the song "Climbing High" is Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-fai. The special guests in the skit "Borrowing an Umbrella" are Hong Kong actors Angie Chiu and Cecilia Yip.
Other artists from Hong Kong include singers Eason Chan and Joey Yung Cho-yee, as well as Jordan Chan Siu-chu, actor, filmmaker and martial artist Donnie Yen Chi-tan. And artists from Macao include singer Hyper Lo Ka-hou.
In 1984, a Hong Kong singer Cheung Ming-man received an invitation from the director of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala to perform on its stage. He became the first Chinese singer from outside the Chinese mainland to appear on the Spring Festival Gala.
Since then, the names of artists from the three regions were followed by brackets marking "Hong Kong, China," "Macao, China," and "Taiwan, China" on the program list, this year, brackets marking the distinction disappeared.
"It is a long-awaited change, finally!'' said a net user on Sina Weibo.
"We are all Chinese and the same blood runs through our bodies. We shall join hands for the prosperity of our motherland!'' wrote another.
There is no need to distinguish which performers for the Spring Festival Gala are from Taiwan island, which are from Hong Kong, and which are from Macao; they all come from China, Chinese media The Paper commented on Tuesday.
Global Times