China's Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council held a gala for overseas Chinese Thursday, ahead of the traditional Spring Festival.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, attended the gala and watched the performances with representatives of Chinese living abroad and returned overseas Chinese as well as their relatives.

The gala will also be on air for Chinese around the world during the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 23 this year.

Since 2009, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council has had a tradition of holding a Spring Festival gala every year, arranging for troupes to perform in countries that are home to large numbers of Chinese. This was the first time that the gala has been held at home.

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