During the 2024 Spring Festival Gala, presented by Chinese Communist state media, CCTV, armed forces performed a shocking display where they flaunted firearms and sang military anthems. Critics argued it was complete out of place and failed to align with the celebratory spirit of the Lunar New Year. They believe that this performance clearly exposed the bloody and murderous nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
CCTV’s annual variety show broadcast on the eve of the Lunar New Year, Feb. 9, featured soldiers donning helmets, clad in camouflage attire, carrying rifles on stage, performing military drills, and singing military anthems. The stage also showcased images of modern fighter jets, tanks, and submarines, simulated beach landings and missile launches.
According to the program narration, aside from the cultural and artistic troops, the performance also featured the 66477 Armored Brigade belonging to the Beijing Garrison.
The CCTV Spring Festival Gala has consistently incorporated elements associated with the military, usually showcasing cultural and artistic groups, with occasional participation from the honor guard of army, air force, and navy and the Chinese Astronaut Corps. Nevertheless, the presence of armed combat troops on stage was unprecedented.
Frank Tian Xie, a chair professor at the Aiken School of Business, University of South Carolina said the program was “quite peculiar,” with the presence of military displays and armed performances at a profoundly tranquil and celebratory holiday for familial reunion.
He believes it not only instills fear among both the Chinese populace and the political adversaries within the CCP, but also sends a message to the United States and Taiwan, signaling preparedness for immediate military engagement, projecting a more formidable stance.
“This bloodshed and violent display truly embodies the essence of the CCP itself, . . . even during occasions as serene and auspicious as the New Year,” said Mr. Xie to the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times.
He indicated that historically, the CCP has consistently exhibited such behavior, especially after Xi Jinping secured his second term as the paramount leader of the CCP.
He said, “There has been a recurring trend of deploying military and armed police personnel to various events to intimidate internal adversaries within the party. The inclusion of soldiers wearing combat uniforms in this year’s New Year’s Eve gala appears to be aimed at boosting his own confidence.”
Zhao Lanjian, a former Chinese journalist, also commented on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the state TV showed more military faces than ever before, “highlighting the unresolvable internal and international conflicts China faces.”
“The CCP finds itself unable to extricate from the predicament, signaling an admission of failure to resolve the brutal exploitation and oppressive rule that has persisted for over 70 years,” he wrote.
He remarked that the sinister regime has introduced these instruments of death into the only significant moment of reunion for the suffering Chinese people with only one purpose: To address various economic and social conflicts.
“Yet, the majority of indoctrinated individuals remain oblivious, only capable of laughing foolishly at the screen,” said Mr. Zhao.
