Li Changchun (C front), who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), poses for photos with the performers and producers of China Central Television's Lunar New Year gala in Beijing, capital of China, on January 23, 2009. Li Changchun visited the performers and producers of China Central Television's Lunar New Year gala during their rehearsal on Friday, and extended new year greetings to them.[Xinhua]

Senior Chinese leader Li Changchun visited the performers and producers of China Central Television's Lunar New Year gala during their rehearsal on Friday.

Li, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), extended new year greetings to the performers and producers.

He expressed his hope that the crew would present an excellent show for all Chinese on Lunar New Year's Eve.

The annual Lunar New Year gala celebration started in the 1980s. Since then, it has been the most popular TV event, attracting a major portion of China's 1.3 billion population on Lunar New Year's Eve each year.

This year's gala would highlight the country's disaster relief efforts in 2008, the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, and the launch of China's third manned spacecraft Shenzhou-7.

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2009)