France honours China with Champs Elysees new year parade

PARIS: Two days before the arrival of President Hu Jintao on a state visit, France is affording China a rare honour when it opens up the Champs Elysees in Paris for a traditional dragon-and-drums new year parade.

Altogether some 7,500 costumed participants and 54 giant floats will move down the tree-lined concourse from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place du Rond Point near the Elysee palace. Twelve giant totems designating the animal signs of the Chinese zodiac will line the route.

Divided under four themes entitled “Best wishes from Beijing,” “The golden bridge of friendship,” “The glory of the Chinese of France, and “Olympic glimmers,” the procession will include teams of folkloric dancers, bicycle acrobats and martial arts specialists sent over from the Chinese capital.