China to air celebration gala on International Children's Day

BEIJING -- China will air a celebration gala to mark International Children's Day as well as the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Young Pioneers (CYP) on Saturday.

The gala, produced by China Central Television (CCTV,) will feature a variety of performances including songs, dances, traditional arts and magic shows.

A number of prominent figures from different fields, such as Sun Yang, ace swimmer and Olympic gold medalist, and Liu Yang, the first female astronaut in China, will be present.

According to Xu Beibei, the gala's director, patriotism and traditional culture will be featured prominently in the gala. Some of the performances will also feature elements of the 2022 Winter Olympics that will take place in China.

First founded in 1949 and led by the Communist Party of China, the CYP is a national mass organization for Chinese children aged six to 14 years, mostly primary and secondary school students.

The gala will be aired on TV and be available for viewers online at 8 p.m. on Saturday.