China announces month-long online shopping event for Spring Festival

BEIJING -- China will launch a month-long online shopping event for festive goods ahead of the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Jan 29 this year.

The event, initiated by the Ministry of Commerce and organized under the guidance of several government departments and the China Consumers Association, will run from Jan 7 to Feb 5.

According to the ministry, this event marks the first nationwide online sales promotion following the inscription of the "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year" on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.

The event aims to meet people's consumption needs during the festive season, promote traditional Chinese culture and boost e-commerce sales.

A launch ceremony for the event will be held on Jan 7 in the city of Jiujiang in East China's Jiangxi province, featuring a series of activities, including displays of festive goods and exhibitions highlighting intangible cultural heritage.

Various Chinese regions and e-commerce platforms will host distinctive events to celebrate the Spring Festival, including local product promotions as well as exhibitions and performances themed on intangible cultural heritage, according to the ministry.

For instance, starting Jan 22, Shanghai will host a Silk Road e-commerce Spring Festival event to promote tourism products for visitors traveling to China for the Spring Festival.

During this event, festive goods will also be made available on the global versions of various e-commerce platforms to meet the needs of overseas Chinese and international customers.