'Racist' Chinese Spring Festival Gala TV show causes consternation over 'blackface and big bottoms'

A comedy sketch on China's biggest television event show has caused consternation online after critics said that it appeared to show a "Chinese" woman using blackface and giant fake buttocks to depict an African character.

The skit, which was apparently intended to celebrate China's relationship with African countries, came during the 2018 edition of the CCTV New Year's Gala - also known as the Spring Festival Gala - an annual variety show broadcast for the Lunar New Year that gets as many as 800 million viewers.

While apparently well-intentioned, the scene - which also appeared to feature a black performer playing a monkey - was lambasted as 'disgusting' and 'completely racist' online. 

 

The scene opened with a performance by African dancers and an appearance by a group of black women who were supposedly staff on the new Chinese-built Kenyan fast train - but it was the following mini-play that caused consternation online.

After the performers departed the stage, the host - standing in front of an African veldt backdrop - was approached by his friend, played by a young black woman, who asked him to help her out with a problem by following her lead.