Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid recently lifted a ban on overseas Chinese openly celebrating religious activities and folk customs. For the first time in more than 30 years, 7 million overseas Chinese living in Indonesia will be able to celebrate Spring Festival freely.

At one packed shopping center in northern Jakarta, a special dragon dance and lion dance was held on January 30. The sponsors of the dragon dance said that they would hold another dragon dance during the Spring Festival.

On January 18, President Wahid issued the sixth presidential edict of the year 2000, lifting the fourteenth presidential edict of 1967, which banned overseas Chinese from openly celebrating religious and cultural activities.