BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The first dress rehearsal was held Monday for the annual Spring Festival gala, one of the most popular TV events in China during the lunar new year holidays, China Central Television said Tuesday.

The gala, to be aired on the Chinese new year eve on Feb. 15, will feature programs like cross talk and comic skits and topics such as the the Belt and Road Initiative, friendship between Chinese and African people, and the kinship between people across the Taiwan Strait.

The gala will look to tell the stories of the common Chinese people, express their real emotions and share the joy of family in plain language, according to Yang Dongsheng, chief director of the whole show.

"Artists from all generations and different countries will take part and the topics will be close to people's daily lives," he added.

Cutting-edge technologies including a laser matrix, particle-tracing systems and holograms will also be used.