The Heat: Chinese New Year’s massive importance

The Heat

The Chinese New Year marks the world’s greatest human migration where the importance of family in China has people there traveling at a record rate to be reunited with their families.

China’s Ministry of Transportation estimates that nearly 3 billion domestic trips will be made during Chinese New Year, which the Chinese also call “Spring Festival”. The amount of travel to reunited with family during Chinese New Year is so big it has been given the name “Chunyun”.

According to the website CTrip.com, which is a popular Chinese travel website, 6 million people from China will also travel abroad.
It’s a time for family gatherings and reunion dinners. In China and other countries with a significant Chinese population, the Lunar New Year is celebrated as a public holiday which is a holiday filled with tradition and symbolism.

For 2016, this is the year of the monkey, which is one of 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac.

For more on this year’s celebration, CCTV America’s Roee Ruttenberg reports.

The Heat was joined by the following guests:

  • From Beijing Martina Fuchs, the host of CCTV’s Global Business program.
  • From Washington, D.C., Haipei Shue. A public policy advocate, he serves as President of both United Chinese Americans and the National Council of Chinese Americans.
  • From New York, author and entrepreneur Yue-Sai Kan. An award-winning producer and television host, People Magazine once dubbed her “the most famous woman in China.”
  • From Washington, D.C.,  Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. She currently chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.