The Spring Festival is the largest and most important festival in China and among Chinese communities worldwide. Having experienced the festival for six years in China, I have developed a deep appreciation for its cultural, social, and economic significance. This celebration embodies essential themes such as family reunion, wishing for good fortune and well-being, social harmony, and preserving cultural heritage. In recognition of its importance, UNESCO added the Spring Festival to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of…

In Harbin, the capital city of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang Province, there is a mesmerizing winter wonderland. Here, towering ice structures mimicking landmarks from across Asia, cheers from super-long ice slides, and the breathtaking view from a giant Ferris wheel attracted over 610,000 visitors during this year’s eight-day Spring Festival holiday, which ended Tuesday. Near the entrance of the Harbin Ice-Snow World, an iconic winter attraction, a row of giant red characters stands out: “Snow and ice are also valuable assets.”…

The Spring Festival is the most cherished occasion in China when people gather with their families to celebrate the traditional New Year. A “special gift” this year has given them an additional reason to celebrate.  On 4 December 2024, the Spring Festival was inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.  The decision was made during the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Paraguay…

From winter sports to snow tourism, China is actively tapping into its ice and snow resources to create new growth drivers for the world’s second-largest economy, according to multiple officials and experts at a recent roundtable. Tourists are now more willing to pay for leisure and cultural activities related to ice and snow tourism, said Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, at the latest episode of the China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News…

Chunyun, the world’s largest annual human migration, officially kicked off on Jan. 14 in China ahead of the Spring Festival. Authorities predict travel volumes will hit new highs during the 40-day travel rush. The latest episode of the China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency, spotlighted key trends shaping this year’s travel season, including record-breaking travel numbers, booming tourism, transformative technologies, the rise of electric vehicles and a surge in inbound travel. TRAVEL PEAK The…

China’s transport sector has enhanced services to ensure satisfying travel experiences for passengers and address the challenges posed by the large-scale movement of people, said the country’s transport authorities. Students and migrant workers are key groups during the Spring Festival travel rush, which kicked off on Jan. 14. This year, for the first time, certain ticket purchasing requirements for students have been relaxed, and a pre-booked system has been launched for them, said Zhu Wenzhong with the China State Railway…

This year’s Spring Festival travel rush is poised to set new records for travel numbers, marked by several notable changes, according to China’s transport authorities. The world’s busiest travel season, driven by the Chinese ritual of family reunions, kicked off on Jan. 14 this year. China is anticipating a record-breaking 9 billion inter-regional trips during this year’s Spring Festival travel rush, with significant shifts, noted Wang Xiuchun, an official with the Ministry of Transport, who joined the latest episode of…

In their hometown of Hengxi Village, Xinxing Town, Songyang County, Lishui, Zhejiang Province in east China, young entrepreneurs Ye Jianhua and Fang Jing have a greenhouse estate. The couple described the 1.3-hectare area as their main battleground for entrepreneurship.  Since 2018, through artificial pollination, hybridisation and other technologies, they have cultivated and planted more than 45 rose succulents, a fascinating succulent variety. These roses with unique colours and shapes can generate over 1 million yuan ($137,000) in output value annually. …