From sightseeing to shopping: China sees holiday inbound tourism boom
从观光到购物：中国假日入境旅游热潮涌现
2025-05-09
| The Singaporean traveler finally got her first bite of Changsha's famously pungent stinky tofu, wandered through buzzing shopping malls and historic alleyways, and marveled at how easily she could navigate this unfamiliar city in central China's Hunan Province with nothing more than a smartphone.
"Changsha left such a deep impression on me," Hu said. "I'd especially love to recommend its delicious street food and exquisite embroidery to my friends." Feast for eyes, taste buds Hu was among an increased number of overseas tourists who traveled to China during the recent May Day holiday, which ended on Monday. Official data showed that the five-day holiday -- a peak time for family outings and tourism -- saw nearly 10.9 million inbound and outbound trips made by Chinese and foreign nationals, up 28.7 percent from the same period last year. Of these trips, over 1.1 million were made by foreigners, up a sharp 43.1 percent. A recent report from Chinese travel platform Trip.com Group found that inbound travel bookings during the May Day holiday surged 130 percent compared to last year. While top-tier cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing remained popular, destinations such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Zhuhai and Xi'an also made the list of top inbound travel choices, according to the report. Over the past three weeks, Sophie Girschewski, a German engineer living in Beijing, joined her visiting friends for part of their journey across China, from walking along the ancient stones of the Great Wall to exploring the windblown dunes near the Mogao Grottoes in Gansu Province. "We are interested in Chinese culture and also the diversity of the landscape," Girschewski said, adding that they were especially impressed by everyday foods like noodle soup or malatang, which is a spicy, hotpot-like dish of vegetables and meat cooked in a flavorful broth. Beyond sightseeing, culinary and cultural experiences came out on top in the minds of many visitors during the May Day holiday, said experts with Trip.com Group. In Hunan's Zhangjiajie, which is known for its spectacular mountain scenery that has inspired scenes in global blockbuster movies, the Manxin countryside resort has reported a surge in bookings from the United States, Italy and Spain. "Guests really love the hands-on countryside activities," said the resort's marketing director, Sunny, listing off activities such as muddy loach catching, fish scooping in rice paddies, and Tujia ethnic music events. "China is a super diverse country with so many different things that you can do," Girschewski said. "Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are modern, convenient, and international in many ways, while rural China is different. That contrast is what makes it one of the most interesting countries to explore." A triumph for shopping bags Interest in China as a travel destination is also visible in the shopping sector. In Changsha, Thai tourist Thanaporn Toeysiriset made a beeline for Bailian Outlets before her flight home. There, she finally found a pair of shoes she had been searching for, and used China's departure tax refund service. "The process was very smooth, and I received a refund of 82.39 yuan (about 11.44 U.S. dollars)," she said. The outlet mall, covering 100,000 square meters, is one of the first designated departure tax refund malls in Hunan Province. Most of its overseas visitors come from Southeast Asian countries, Japan and the Republic of Korea, according to Gan Liu, the mall's general manager. "They are especially fond of Chinese domestic designer brands, outdoor and sports clothing, and luxury labels," Gan said. To meet rising demand, the mall is introducing new digital translation tools, tax refund calculators and sealed packaging services to streamline customs inspection processes. Sun Mengyang, a tourism expert at Beijing Union University, said that China's inbound tourism is gaining strong momentum thanks to a host of measures aimed at facilitating visas, payments, and accommodation for overseas visitors. In late April, China introduced a package of measures to optimize its departure tax refund policy and boost inbound spending. These measures include lowering the minimum purchase threshold for refunds, raising the cash refund ceiling, expanding the network of participating stores, and widening the range of products available. These changes are already bearing fruit. Beijing welcomed 104,000 inbound international tourist visits during the holiday, up 42.4 percent year on year. Inbound tourist spending reached 1.13 billion yuan, a 48 percent increase over the same period last year. In Shanghai, that figure hit 455 million yuan during the holiday period -- a 211.6 percent spike. So far, 1,013 enterprises have registered for departure tax refund services, covering more than 3,300 branded stores. Visa-free travel policies have also had an impact. China now grants unilateral visa-free entry to people from 38 countries, and has extended its visa-free transit period to 240 hours for travelers from 54 countries. A total of 380,000 foreigners entered China under such arrangements during the May Day holiday, a year-on-year increase of 72.7 percent. Analysts believe that inbound tourism could be an important driver of growth for the Chinese economy. "China's inbound consumption holds great growth potential," said Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping, noting that in 2024, spending by overseas visitors accounted for about 0.5 percent of the country's GDP, compared to 1 to 3 percent in major economies. For travelers like Hu Jianfeng, these figures come to life not in economic charts, but in memories of sticky rice cakes, embroidered keepsakes, and the joy of discovering a place she had long dreamed of visiting. "It was worth the trip," she said. "I couldn't wait to tell my friends about it." |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
习近平表示中俄找到邻国间大国相处之道
2025-05-08
| Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China and Russia have found a right path of state-to-state interactions between neighboring major countries.
He made the remarks in a written statement upon his arrival in Moscow for a state visit to the country and attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. Xi noted that the two sides, as good neighbors that cannot be moved away, true friends who share weal and woe, and good partners of mutual achievement, have forged a spirit of strategic coordination for a new era, which features permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation. The independent, mature and resilient bilateral relationship, Xi said, not only brings great benefits to the two peoples, but also makes important contributions to maintaining global strategic stability and promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, he noted. China and Russia, both major countries of the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will join hands to safeguard the victorious outcome of World War II, firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics, practice true multilateralism, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Xi said. The Chinese president also said that during the visit he will have in-depth communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin on bilateral relations, practical cooperation as well as major international and regional issues of common concern, which will inject strong impetus into the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. Noting that he will attend Russia's May 9th Victory Day celebrations again after a decade, Xi said he looks forward to working with leaders of other countries and the Russian people to deeply commemorate the martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives for the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, and send out a strong voice of the times to safeguard international fairness and justice. Xi's plane was escorted by Russian Air Force aircraft after it entered the country's airspace. When Xi arrived at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, he was warmly welcomed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and other senior government officials. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
中美将在瑞士就经济问题举行会谈
2025-05-07
| Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Wednesday that at the invitation of the government of Switzerland, He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, will visit Switzerland from May 9 to 12.
He will hold talks with Swiss leaders and relevant parties, the spokesperson said. During his visit to Switzerland, He, as the Chinese lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, will have a meeting with the US lead person Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. From May 12 to 16, He will be in France to co-chair with the French side the 10th China-France High Level Economic and Financial Dialogue, said the spokesperson. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
China's May Day holiday travel boom highlights consumer vitality
中国五一假期旅游热潮凸显消费活力
2025-05-06
| During the five-day May Day holiday, Chinese travelers took an estimated 314 million domestic trips, marking a 6.4 percent increase from the previous year, according to figures released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Tourist spending also saw a notable rise, reaching 180.3 billion yuan (US$25 billion), an 8 percent year-on-year jump that highlights the sustained vitality of consumer activity. The May Day holiday, running from May 1 to 5, is typically one of the busiest travel periods of the year. During this time, millions of Chinese travelers hit the road to visit family, explore domestic destinations, or venture abroad. This surge in travel provides a boost to the transportation, tourism and retail sectors. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
警方称，瑞典枪击案中3人遇难
2025-04-30
| Three people were killed in a shooting in the Swedish city of Uppsala on Tuesday and a murder investigation has been launched, police said.
Police said it was investigating the shooting as a homicide and that it had no information about the incident being a terror or hate crime at this point. "We have information that a person left the scene on an electric scooter," a police spokesperson told Reuters. "Whether this person is a perpetrator or a witness, or someone who has some connection to the incident, it is unclear at this time." Police said the victims were yet to be identified and declined to speculate on the motive for the killings. Electric scooters have been used several times as a mode of escape after gang conflict shootings in Sweden. Uppsala, some 40 minutes north of the capital, Stockholm, by car, has seen many gang-related shootings in the past decade, but usually outside the city center. Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the Justice Ministry was in close contact with the police and that it was closely monitoring developments in the case. "A brutal act of violence has occurred in central Uppsala ... This is at the same time as the whole of Uppsala has begun Walpurgis Night. What has happened is extremely serious," Strommer said in a statement. Police said earlier they had received calls from members of the public who heard gunshots in the city centre, and that emergency services had rushed to the scene. "Three people are confirmed dead after a shooting ... The police are investigating the incident as a homicide," investigators said in a statement. Witnesses told SVT they had heard five shots and had seen people in the area running to take cover. Several Swedish media, including TT, reported that the shooting took place near or in a hair salon. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
神舟20宇航员进入空间站
2025-04-25
| The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-20 spaceship have entered the country's space station and met with another astronaut trio in the early hours of Friday, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover.
The Shenzhou-19 crew opened the hatch at 1:17 a.m. (Beijing Time) and greeted the new arrivals, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The six crew members then took group pictures for the sixth space get-together in China's aerospace history. They will live and work together for about five days to complete planned tasks and handover work, the CMSA said. The Shenzhou-19 crew is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 29. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
大熊猫“荷风”“兰韵”抵达奥地利维也纳开始10年旅居
2025-04-24
| Two giant pandas from southwest China's Sichuan Province arrived at Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo on Wednesday, marking the start of a decade-long stay as symbols of friendship between China and Austria.
The pandas, male He Feng and female Lan Yun, were both born in 2020. According to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, He Feng is energetic, while Lan Yun is known for her gentle nature. Their names refer to the freshness of lotus flowers and the fragrance of orchids, reflecting traditional Chinese symbolism. The pandas will be introduced to the public after completing a period of quarantine and acclimatization. Their arrival will be celebrated in an official ceremony, and the zoo's newly designed panda enclosure will be reopened. "We are very proud to be committed to the protection and preservation of the giant panda and its habitat," said zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck. "We are delighted that the new pair will now act as ambassadors for their endangered wild counterparts." Ahead of the transfer, two Austrian keepers traveled to China to study the pandas' behavior and dietary needs. A Chinese keeper and veterinarian have also accompanied the animals to Austria and will remain on-site to assist with their adjustment to the new environment. This latest exchange builds on more than two decades of cooperation between China and Austria. Since 2003, the two nations have collaborated on panda conservation, achieving progress in breeding, disease control, staff training, and public education. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
Trump says Zelensky's statement 'very harmful to the peace negotiations with Russia'
特朗普称泽连斯基的声明“有害于俄罗斯的和平谈判”
2025-04-24
| US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader's statement on Crimea is "very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia."
Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that "Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn't they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" "It's inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy's that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about," wrote Trump, adding that "The situation for Ukraine is dire - He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country." Trump also noted that the statement made by Zelensky would do nothing but prolong the "killing field" and "nobody wants that!" "We are very close to a Deal, but the man with 'no cards to play' should now, finally, GET IT DONE," he noted. Zelensky said Tuesday that Kiev is prepared to engage in talks in any format once a potential ceasefire with Russia is established, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported. But he stressed that Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea by Russia as it contradicts the nation's Constitution. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
中国对方济各教皇去世表示哀悼
2025-04-23
| China expressed condolences over the passing of Pope Francis, according to a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Tuesday.
In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained constructive engagement and conducted useful exchanges, spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a daily news briefing. "China stands ready to work with the Vatican for continued improvement of China-Vatican ties," said Guo. When answering a query regarding Vatican's so-called "ties with Taiwan," Guo noted that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. "More and more countries have come to recognize and abide by the one-China principle. We hope relevant countries will see where the arc of history bends and come back to the right path of upholding the one-China principle," said Guo. Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, died Monday at the age of 88. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
哈佛就缩减美国财政拨款起诉特朗普
2025-04-22
| Harvard sued US President Donald Trump's administration Monday in a sharp escalation of the fight between the prestigious university and the Republican, who has threatened its funding and sought to impose outside political supervision.
Trump has sought to bring several prestigious universities to heel over claims they tolerated campus anti-Semitism, threatening their budgets, tax-exempt status and the enrollment of foreign students, but Harvard has refused to bow. "This case involves the Government's efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decision making at Harvard," the Ivy League university said in a lawsuit filed in a Massachusetts federal court that named several other institutions targeted by Trump. "The Government's actions flout not just the First Amendment, but also federal laws and regulations," said the complaint, which called Trump's actions "arbitrary and capricious." Trump is furious at Harvard for rejecting government supervision of its admissions, hiring practices and political slant and last week ordered the freezing of US$2.2 billion in federal funding to the storied institution. The lawsuit calls for the freezing of funds and conditions imposed on federal grants to be declared unlawful, as well as for the Trump administration to pay Harvard's costs. Trump and his White House team have publicly justified their campaign against universities as a reaction to what they say is uncontrolled "anti-Semitism" and a need to reverse diversity programs aimed at addressing historical oppression of minorities. The administration claims protests against Israel's war in Gaza that swept across US college campuses last year were rife with anti-Semitism. Many US universities, including Harvard, cracked down on the protests over the allegations at the time, with the Cambridge-based institution placing 23 students on probation and denying degrees to 12 others, according to protest organizers. "Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World's Great Universities or Colleges," Trump said on his Truth Social platform last week. "Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds." 'Sweeping freeze' Harvard President Alan Garber said that Trump's administration had launched "numerous investigations" into the university's operations. Last week, Garber flatly refused to "negotiate over (Harvard's) independence or its constitutional rights." Other top institutions, including Columbia University, have bowed to less sweeping demands from the Trump administration, which claims that the educational elite is too left-wing. The Department of Homeland Security has also threatened Harvard's ability to enroll international students unless it turns over records on visa-holders' "illegal and violent activities." International students made up 27.2 percent of Harvard's enrollment this academic year, according to its website. "Make no mistake: Harvard rejects anti-Semitism and discrimination in all of its forms and is actively making structural reforms to eradicate anti-Semitism on campus," said Monday's lawsuit. "But rather than engage with Harvard regarding those ongoing efforts, the Government announced a sweeping freeze of funding for medical, scientific, technological, and other research that has nothing at all to do with anti-Semitism." Trump's claims about diversity tap into long-standing conservative complaints that US university campuses are too liberal, shutting out right-wing voices and favoring minorities. In the case of Harvard, the White House is seeking unprecedented levels of government control over the inner workings of the country's oldest and wealthiest university — and one of the most respected educational and research institutions in the world. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
