BEIJING — Chinese state TV included dancers in blackface portraying Africans in a holiday gala for the second time in three years, prompting criticism online, as Asia welcomed the Year of the Ox with muted festivities amid travel curbs to contain renewed coronavirus outbreaks.
The "African Song and Dance" performance Thursday came at start of the Spring Festival Gala, one of the world's most-watched TV programs. It included Chinese dancers in African-style costumes and dark face makeup beating drums.
In this image taken from video footage run by China's CCTV via AP Video, dancers in blackface and costumes portraying Africans perform on stage during the Spring Festival Gala, one of the world's most-watched TV programs in Beijing, on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021.
The five-hour annual program, which state TV has said in the past is seen by as many as 800 million viewers, also included tributes to nurses, doctors and others who fought the coronavirus pandemic that began in central China in late 2019.
Festivities for the holiday, normally East Asia's busiest tourism season, are muted after China, Vietnam, Taiwan and other governments tightened travel curbs and urged the public to avoid big gatherings following renewed virus outbreaks.
China's ruling Communist Party tries to promote an image of unity with African nations as fellow developing economies. But China Central Television has faced criticism over using blackface to depict African people in past New Year broadcasts.
In this image taken from video footage run by China's CCTV via AP Video, dancers in blackface and costumes portraying Africans perform on stage during the Spring Festival Gala in Beijing on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021.
On Twitter, Black Livity China, a group for people of African descent who work in or with China, called the broadcast "extremely disappointing." It noted CCTV's 2018 Spring Festival Gala featured performers in blackface with a monkey.
"We cannot stress enough the impact scenes such as these have on African and Afro-diasporic communities living in China," the group said.
Photos: Lunar New Year
Across the world the pandemic is forcing Lunar New Year celebrations to go virtual or be canceled as people are being urged to stay home.
Robert Sicat sprays a protective coating on a dragon head at a creekside slum at Manila's Chinatown in the Philippines. Dragon and lion dancers won't be performing this year after the Manila city government banned the dragon dance, street parties, stage shows or any other similar activities during celebrations for Chinese New Year due to COVID-19 restrictions, leaving several businesses without income as the country grapples to start vaccination this month. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A member of a dragon and lion dance troupe repairs a lion's head as the group seeks other ways to earn a living in Manila's Chinatown in the Philippines after the Manila city government banned the dragon dance, street parties, stage shows or any other similar activities during celebrations for Chinese New Year. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Miniature lion heads are prepared for delivery as members of a Dragon and Lion dance group seek other ways to earn a living in Manila, Philippines, after the Manila city government banned the dragon dance and other Chinese New Year celebrations. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A woman wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus walks through alleyways decorated for the Lunar New Year along the Dihua Street market in Taipei, Taiwan. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
An employee holds a sign reading "Please wear a mask to protect you and me" and walks among the shoppers for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations at the Dihua Street market in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Feb 10, 2021. Taiwanese shoppers started hunting for delicacies, dried goods and other bargains at the market ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations, which according to the lunar calendar will take place on Feb. 12. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
A child wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus looks at toys featuring Lunar New Year lion dancers on display at a subway station in Beijing, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. China appeared to be on pace for a slower than normal Lunar New Year travel rush this year after authorities discouraged people from traveling over the holiday to help maintain the nation's control over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
People wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus shop for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations at a market in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Feb 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
Women wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus walk under red lanterns hanging along an alley near the Houhai Lake in celebration of the Lunar New Year in Beijing, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A woman wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus takes a photo under red lanterns decorated along an alley in celebration of the Lunar New Year in Beijing, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Residents, some wearing masks to protect from the coronavirus, ride past ox-themed Chinese New Year decorations on a closed newsstand in Beijing on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Lanterns hang across the street to mark the Chinese Lunar new year in London, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. The Chinese New Year, which will be the Year of the Ox, will start on Friday Feb. 12, but due to the coronavirus pandemic many celebrations have been canceled. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Lanterns hang across the street to mark the Chinese Lunar new year in London, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A miniature lion head is carried as it is prepared to be painted as a dragon and lion dance group seeks other ways to earn a living at a creekside slum at Manila's Chinatown in the Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Robert Sicat paints a dragon's head for a client at Manila's Chinatown, Binondo, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Friends and relatives work on finishing lion and dragon projects as the group seeks other ways to earn a living at a creekside slum at Manila's Chinatown, Philippines, after the Manila city government banned the dragon dance, street parties, stage shows or any other similar activities during celebrations for Chinese New Year due to COVID-19 restrictions leaving several businesses without income as the country grapples to start vaccination this month. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
People wear face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus as they shop for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations at the Dihua Street market in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Feb 10, 2021. Taiwanese shoppers started hunting for delicacies, dried goods and other bargains at the market ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations which according to the lunar calendar will take place on Feb. 12. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
