While major cities remain popular, exploring small towns via high-speed rail is becoming a popular option. Visa-free policies also mean that more foreign tourists are visiting China this summer.
On Qunar, a domestic travel platform, travelers from the US, South Korea, Russia, Vietnam, and Malaysia have shown the most interest in high-speed rail bookings, favoring two-hour high-speed rail journeys, such as going from Southwest China's Sichuan Province to Southwest China's Chongqing, according to a report Qunar sent to the Global Times.
"I took the high-speed train from Zhuhai to Guangzhou. It is fantastic, much better than driving a car," Luke Serdar, a tourist from Australia told the Global Times on Monday. Serdar has 59,000 fans on Douyin and has published lots of content about travel in China.
In a two-hour high-speed rail zone around Shanghai and its surrounding cities, Yiwu in East China's Zhejiang Province is popular among foreign tourists. A foreign blogger noted that his childhood Christmas gifts were labeled "MADE IN CHINA," making him think Santa was Chinese. In Yiwu, he bought many sports products and said that its Olympic spirit is second only to Paris, according to Qunar's report.
"We are highlighting lesser-known attractions such as rural tourism, small intangible cultural heritage projects, and the daily lives of people in second- and third-tier cities, which helps to present a more vibrant, diverse, and multi-dimensional China to foreigners," Wang Jinwei, a professor at the School of Tourism Sciences at Beijing International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.
China is vast, and foreigners are eager to visit many cities in a single trip. On the Qunar platform, a Russian traveler visited 16 cities within six months while a Turkish traveler visited 12 cities. Over 10 percent of foreign tourists returned for a second visit within six months.
Serdar has visited five Chinese cities so far. He said that he likes the night markets and street food. "I am happy to say that the food in China is so good that I know I will be replacing my diet back home with Chinese food. Now I can understand why a foreigner would return home heavier."
"We hope more foreigners visit and share the 'real China' in international media. First-time visitors can see China's development, convenience, and safety. On subsequent visits, they can explore lesser-known spots and experience the local culture more deeply," Wang added.
"Once I return to Australia I'll be doing what I can to get back here as quickly as possible. Yes, I love China that much! After 20 amazing days in China I will be strongly recommending it to my friends, who can utilise the 144-hour transit visa-free policy," Serdar added.
"The visa-free policy is a milestone in China's opening-up to the world. I believe it will eventually be extended to more countries or allow longer visa-free stays. This win-win policy enhances trade and cultural exchanges between China and other countries," Wang said.
In the first half of this year, bookings from abroad on the eLong hotel-booking platform nearly doubled year-on-year. Hotels in major cities are expected to see significant growth in foreign guest bookings, according to a report from online travel platform Tongcheng.
In the first half of 2024, there were 14.635 million foreign passenger trips into China, a year-on-year increase of 152.7 percent. Among these, 8.542 million were visa-free entries, accounting for 52 percent and marking a 190.1 percent year-on-year increase, according to data from the National Immigration Administration.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's first Central Asia visit as head of state dates back to 2013 when he proposed the concept of the Silk Road Economic Belt in Astana. In the following years, he visited the region frequently for bilateral and multilateral discussions. On July 2 to July 6, the Chinese president again set foot on this land for attending the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana, and paid state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
Streets adorned with Chinese flags, crowds dancing at the airport, children singing Chinese songs, grand official welcome ceremonies…Global Times reporters observed these moments during Xi's visit and tracked his footsteps to Central Asia in the past, which combined telling a story of historical friendship, fruitful cooperation, and a promising future.
In five days, Xi attended more than 30 bilateral and multilateral events, which involved political, economic, and cultural topics, and included reunions with old friends, while also meeting new friends, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference.
It is significant to guide the direction of the development of the SCO, deepening China's good-neighborly relations with regional countries, and promoting the substantial advancement of building a community of shared future among neighboring countries, said Wang.
Bridges for mutual learning between civilizations
As Xi's plane entered the Kazakh airspace, two fighter jets from the Kazakh Air Defense Forces took off to escort it and a touching moment at the Astana airport unfolded when a group of Kazakh children sang the Chinese song "Ode to My Homeland" to welcome him.
During previous 11 years, Xi had visited Kazakhstan five times, and has witnessed steadfast progress made on interconnectivity under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), made significant remarks on bilateral cultural exchanges since ancient times, and left numerous memories of friendship and cooperation.
"Warm welcome!" Local residents cheered excitedly in Chinese on July 2, 2024 while lining the sides of the roads where Xi's motorcade passed. People waved the Chinese and Kazakh national flags near the landmark building of Beijing Tower in Astana, giving the city a festive atmosphere.
"China is one of the largest countries in the world. Many Kazakhs travel to China and bring back a lot of useful information and technology. I think cooperation with China is having a very positive impact on our country," a Kazakh resident surnamed Salima told the Global Times.
Energy has been a cornerstone of China-Kazakhstan cooperation, with two projects holding flagship status - the China-Kazakhstan oil pipeline and the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline.
The China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline A/B/C lines runs through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and China. A key section of the pipeline within Kazakhstan was opened in 2013 during Xi's first visit to the country.
Kaiypov Yerseiit Zholmyrzauly, an executive at the Asian Gas Pipelieng LLP, a Kazakh-China joint venture, told the Global Times that the thriving energy cooperation with China has been helping Kazakhstan to diversify export channels and integrate into a larger energy market, and the wider use of natural gas also aligns with the green energy development goals of the two countries.
During this visit, President Xi and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also jointly attended the opening ceremony of a road transport route to a Caspian Sea port. This marked a comprehensive, multi-dimensional, Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) integrating road, rail, air, and pipeline transportation network establishment.
The TITR begins at East China's port of Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province and runs through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and European countries.
This major transport system has turned land-locked Kazakhstan into a land-linked country. As of 2023, more than 80 percent of Kazakhstan's major trade commodities such as mineral products and grains were exported via the Lianyungang port, Du Anji, a representative of the Lianyungang New Silk Road International Container Development Co, told the Global Times previously.
In parallel with infrastructure connectivity, the two heads of state also witnessed the "soft connectivity" through new cultural and educational projects: Attending the opening ceremony of the Chinese Culture Center in Astana and the Kazakh Culture Center in Beijing, and unveiling the Kazakhstan Branch of the Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) in Astana. BLCU in Beijing is where Kazakh President Tokayev studied the Chinese language and made profound memories between 1983 and 1984.
Walking through the cultural exhibition hall of the campus on July 3, Global Times reporters noticed a photocopy of Tokayev's student ID card, which documented his years in China and epitomized the ever-lasting friendship between China and Kazakhstan.
The opening of the university's branch in Astana is expected to play an important role in promoting mutual understanding and exchanges between China and Kazakhstan, BLCU president Duan Peng told the Global Times.
The plan is to build the branch campus into a high-level university with undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in the next 5 years, which can radiate throughout the entire Central Asian region, Duan said. "Young Kazakh people can study here, make friends, and build bridges for mutual learning between civilizations."
On the Astana campus, a Qing Dynasty-style (1644-1911) pavilion named "Tang Di" will be built, the Global Times learned. Tangdi is a shrub from the rose family. In the "Book of Odes," the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry dating back to the 11th to 6th century BC, tangdi is a symbol of profound brotherhood. Good neighbors, friends, partners and brothers
Upon arrival in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe late on July 4, Xi noted in a written statement that China and Tajikistan are good neighbors who help each other, good friends who support each other, good partners with mutual benefit and win-win results, and good brothers who treat each other with absolute sincerity.
Young Tajik people dressed in traditional costumes and performed folk dances at the airport to welcome Xi. Global Times reporters felt the hospitality and hearty affection for the Chinese president among Tajik people.
Xi has met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon 15 times since the beginning of the new era and visited the country three times, in 2014, 2019, and this July. During this recent state visit, the two heads of state announced the elevation of bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership status in the new era.
They also attended the inauguration of a parliament building and a government building constructed with China's assistance.
When passing through the blue-domed new Parliament House of Tajikistan in the city center of Dushanbe, Global Times reporters noted that the magnificent building has already become a new calling card of the capital, attracting crowds of local residents to take photos.
On July 5, Xi awarded the "Friendship Medal," China's highest state honor to foreigners, to Rahmon, the first time this prestigious award has been presented outside of China.
Five years ago in 2019, also at the Palace of the Nation in Dushanbe, Xi received the Order of the Crown from Rahmon.
Global Times reporters also observed an interesting phenomenon in Dushanbe that locals greeted Chinese visitors in Chinese while the visitors tried to respond in Tajik language, an epitome of the people-to-people intimacy between the two countries.
For Tajik people, the relationship with China is not abstract, as it has brought about tangible benefits to their daily lives.
A10-minute drive northeast from the Tajik capital leads to the famous Dushanbe No.2 power plant, which was constructed with Chinese assistance. President Xi and President Rahmon attended the completion ceremony of first-phase project of the plant and the groundbreaking ceremony of second-phase project in September 2014.
Before this project, Dushanbe had to rely on unstable power imports when rivers froze and small hydropower plants suffered from outages. Power cuts were common as power supply could sustain lighting, heating, and industrial production.
The China-aided thermal power plant, which entered operation in December 2016, allowed Dushanbe residents to bid farewell to power cuts, darkness, and the cold in winter. Factories could maintain production year around.
"This [place] used to be an empty site but now massive buildings stand here," city councilor Nyyazov Umarali Saforovic told the Global Times, noting that the plant has since created more than 1,000 jobs for local people.
About 300 Chinese technicians come annually to work with us on repair and maintenance, and we have forged a deep and solid friendship in the process, Saforovic said.
Brotherhood more precious than any treasure
Joint ventures and Chinese wholly owned firms in Tajikistan have become a major source of tax revenue for the local government, and made important contributions to the socioeconomic development of Tajikistan.
Tajikistan also has the first Luban Workshop in Central Asia. Named after Lu Ban, a legendary craftsman who lived 2,500 years ago in China, the program combines academic education with vocational training, aiming to help BRI partner countries cultivate professional technical talent. President Xi has given particular care to this program.
The Global Times learned that the Luban Workshop in Dushanbe helps address the large demand for local talent when China and Tajikistan are having active economic interactions - there are about 500 Chinese companies operating in Tajikistan and Chinese investment has accounted for 34 percent of Tajikistan's total foreign investment over the past decade.
Similar workshops are also in operation in other Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, with more to be built.
At the first China-Central Asia Summit held in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province in May 2023, Xi, in his keynote speech, quoted a Central Asian saying: "Brotherhood is more precious than any treasure," and emphasized that solidarity, inclusiveness, and harmony are the pursuits of the Central Asian people.
Guided by head-of-state diplomacy, analysts believe the future of China-Central Asia cooperation is promising and full of potential. Following the four principles that hold the key to the success of China-Central Asia cooperation, namely mutual respect, good neighborly friendship, solidarity in trying times, and mutual benefit, China and Central Asian countries will jointly create a brighter future.
The 5th meeting of the Singapore-Shanghai Comprehensive Cooperation Council (SSCCC) was held in Shanghai on Tuesday, aiming to deepen cooperation between Singapore and Shanghai in various fields including finance, technology innovation and the digital economy.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the SSCCC, and the two regions have worked together to deepen cooperation in areas such as the Belt and Road Initiative, financial services, technology innovation, the business environment, urban governance, and people-to-people exchanges. They have implemented 37 cooperation memoranda in the past five years.
A total of 15 memoranda of cooperation between Singapore and Shanghai were signed at the meeting, including a cooperation memorandum between Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and National University Hospital Singapore, a memorandum between Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and Enterprise Singapore, and a memorandum between Shanghai International Arbitration Center and Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration.
Gong Zheng, SSCCC Shanghai co-chairman and mayor of Shanghai, and Hua Yuan, SSCCC Shanghai vice co-chairman and vice mayor of Shanghai, attended the meeting. SSCCC Singapore Co-chairman, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law of Singapore Edwin Tong and SSCCC Singapore Vice Co-chairman, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth of Singapore Low Yen Ling were also at the meeting.
The past five years of collaboration have deepened the cultural exchanges between both sides, which has facilitated a better understanding and advancement of cooperation in various fields.
“In certain medical fields, over the past five years, we have deepened our connections with colleagues in Singapore, developing from initially learning from them to mutually complementing and learning from each other,” Ning Guang, head of Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
“We are seeking more collaboration in various fields such as smart healthcare, telemedicine, and surgical robotics. These forward-looking partnerships will benefit both parties involved,” Ning said. Ruijin Hospital and National University Hospital Singapore plan to establish a medical innovation center to deepen the communication between the two sides, according to Ning.
Along with medical cooperation, Shanghai and Singapore are also seeking deepened ties in other sectors such as business and people-to-people exchanges.
Shanghai has always been at the forefront of China's development. Shanghai and Singapore have complementary advantages and can achieve effective results through cooperation, Huang Fei, director of Singapore Enterprise Centre, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Under cooperation mechanisms such as the SSCCC, more efforts have been made to deepen understanding of Singapore beyond just tourism. Additionally, a short film about Singaporean businesses in China has been produced to provide a deeper insight into the industrial structure, facilitating further communication and development between the two sides, according to Huang.
The SSCCC can facilitate connections between high-quality companies in Shanghai and firms from Singapore. Additionally, this will provide more market opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises from Singapore, Huang said.
Wang Weijun, secretary-general of the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, told the Global Times that she felt the mutual trust and understanding achieved in the field of legal arbitration during the past five years.
There has been increased familiarity and cooperation between legal professionals in China and Singapore, leading to a more stable dispute resolution process for Chinese companies in international trade negotiations, said Wang.
