China News Service, New York, February 8 (Reporter Wang Fan) The Chinese Consulate General in New York and the Empire State Building in New York jointly held a lighting ceremony to celebrate the New Year on the 8th. Consul General of China in New York Huang Ping and his wife, Empire State Building Executive Vice President Christina Qiu and others attended the event.
Christina Qiu delivered a welcome speech and said that every New Year's Eve, the Empire State Building and the Chinese Consulate General in New York will jointly light up this world-famous landmark. Tonight, the Empire State Building will shine "China Red" again, sending sincere New Year blessings to everyone. I wish everyone good luck, happiness and prosperity in the Year of the Dragon.
Huang Ping said in his speech that the Spring Festival is the oldest and most solemn traditional festival of the Chinese nation. It incorporates the Chinese people’s beautiful sustenance of family, happiness and hope. These are also common values that each of us cherish. One-fifth of the world’s population is about to celebrate the Chinese New Year, and New York City has designated the Spring Festival as a legal holiday. This traditional Chinese festival is increasingly reaching the world.
Huang Ping said that over the past 24 years, the Empire State Building has lit up "China Red" to send New Year greetings, demonstrating the friendship between the people of the United States and China and the American people's openness and tolerance for cultural diversity. As a New York landmark, the Empire State Building attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world every year. Currently, China is continuing to optimize visa and entry policies for Americans visiting China. In the first half of this year, China and the United States will hold a high-level tourism dialogue to vigorously promote personnel exchanges between the two sides and create a good atmosphere for the development of Sino-US relations.
Huang Ping said that the dragon is a zodiac sign that symbolizes auspiciousness in traditional Chinese culture. As the Lunar Year of the Dragon is approaching, both sides should work together to follow the "San Francisco Vision" created by the San Francisco meeting between the heads of state of China and the United States, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two sides, promote mutual understanding between the Chinese and American people, and push bilateral relations back on track so that " "San Francisco Vision" becomes reality and accumulates more positive energy for the healthy, stable and sustainable development of Sino-US relations.
During the ceremony, Huang Ping and his wife and Christina Chiu jointly pushed up the rocker to light up the miniature model of the Empire State Building's lanterns. Artists from the New York Eight Banner Orchestra presented guests with wonderful traditional Chinese folk music and dances such as "Purple Bamboo Tune", "Joyful" and "Backgammon", fully displaying the ancient charm of the country.
On the first floor of the Empire State Building, Huang Ping and his wife and Christina Qiu also unveiled the Empire State Building's 2024 "Happy Spring Festival" zodiac window display. The exhibition takes "Dragon Soaring across the World" as its theme and Chinese shadow puppetry as its design inspiration. It combines elements of the four seasons and uses rich visual language to interpret the auspicious meaning of Chinese dragon culture.
That night, the 443-meter-tall Empire State Building was lit up in "Chinese red" as scheduled to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Dragon in the lunar calendar. Since 1976, the top floor of the Empire State Building has maintained a tradition of lighting up lights in different colors to commemorate or celebrate various holidays or events. (over)