Warren Buffett appears on Chinese state TV to welcome New Year...and play the ukulele (Video)

China celebrated the Chinese New Year Sunday night. During one of the broadcasts covering the celebrations on state television, American billionaire Warren Buffett appeared, strumming a ukulele and singing “I’ve Been Working on The Rail Road.”

According to MSNBC, Buffett was seen as a guest on the Chinese Lunar New Year variety show. He sang in front of a model train set that was set up behind him.

When Buffett finished the song, he told viewers “Xie xie,” which is “Thank you” in Chinese.

Bloomberg reports that Buffett is a well-known figure in China thanks to his business successes in the country. He is the co-chairman of the Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc, which acquired the Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC in 2010. Buffett is also an investor in BYD Co., a Chinese carmaker. MSNBC reports that BYD specializes in electric motor vehicles.

The 81-year-old businessman had actually recorded the video last year, according to Wu Zheng, a Chinese media executive, reports The Wall Street Journal. Wu is also a friend of Buffett’s.

According to Bloomberg, Xinhua News Agency, the official Chinese news agency, said on Jan. 5 that the recording would finally air for this Lunar New Year. However, The Wall Street Journal later reported that Buffett had said on Jan. 9 that the video would not be shown. Later he changed his mind, Wu confirmed to the Journal on Sunday.

You can watch Buffett’s performance below: