A tourist bus, decorated with images of tigers and the logo of the Beijing Winter Olympics, left Chinatown for the Obelisk in central Buenos Aires, where a dragon and lion dance as well as a tango demonstration took place, marking the beginning of celebrations.

This is part of the celebrations which will run from Friday to Feb. 12 in the Argentinean capital for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Tiger and the opening of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, after a year without celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carlos Lin, a well-known proponent of Chinese culture in Argentina, told Xinhua that the project aims to "bring Chinese culture to the streets of Buenos Aires" through performances of traditional dance, martial arts and music.

At 8 p.m. on Monday, Lin said, "all of these in the heart of Buenos Aires at the Obelisk will light up in red so that everyone knows that the Year of the Tiger has arrived."

For Argentineans, the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations have attracted the attention of people interested in ancient Chinese culture and customs, and with the Beijing Winter Olympics approaching, this year's event becomes even more appealing.

"In the heart of Buenos Aires, something historic happened today. There had never been a dragon dance at the Obelisk," Lin said, adding when people saw the drums and the dragon dance, they took photos with their phones and shared them on social media.

Lin said that "this year is special for the Chinese people in Argentina, and especially in Buenos Aires, because we are coming, like everyone else, out of the pandemic, out of quarantine."

"This year, with everyone vaccinated, we want to celebrate, but celebrate responsibly," he added.

The two-week celebrations in Buenos Aires will be held under the theme "Encounter for a Future of Prosperity," with artistic activities and cultural tours.