"It's a millennial tradition that we all celebrate," the city's Secretary of Sports Matias Lopez said.

Visitors to the plaza got a chance to enjoy Chinese music and dance, traditional opera, puppetry, martial arts demonstrations and cuisine.

This year, Venezuela again joined the 140 countries around the world that celebrate the Spring Festival, with a variety of cultural and artistic events.

In the capital Caracas and other cities, residents were treated to performances of the Chinese production My Dream, a unique show featuring dazzling musical numbers put on by accomplished dancers and singers who are sight or hearing impaired.

Speaking at a ceremony in the capital, China's ambassador to Venezuela, Zhao Bentang, said, "We have built a relationship based on substantial cooperation and exchange and have also deepened cultural and humanistic ties."

Officials also marked the occasion by announcing the coming opening of a Confucius Institute in Venezuela's Peninsula de Paraguana, in north Falcon state, where students will be able to learn Chinese.

"We congratulate the people and government of China on the occasion of the Chinese New Year and reaffirm the bond between our nations," Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Delcy Rodriguez posted on Twitter on Feb 8.