Multiple cities and provinces across the country are ramping up efforts to boost tourism-related consumption during the summer season, as a wave of spending is evident in many places, particularly in inbound travel.

The tourism industry is on the rise, driven by improved services, better infrastructure and supportive policies, a Chinese expert said. With continued efforts from both central and local governments, tourism consumption is expected to become an increasingly important driver of overall consumer spending.

Megacity Shanghai announced on Wednesday that the "Shanghai Summer" International Consumption Season, a city-level campaign aimed primarily at boosting inbound tourism spending during the summer, is set to kick off on Friday. Authorities are launching a series of activities that combine commerce, travel, culture, sports and exhibitions aimed at providing excellent consumption experience for consumers and travelers from across the world.

In the first six months this year, Shanghai facilitated a total of 4.25 million inbound tourist trips in the first six months this year, signifying an increase of 38.5 percent year-on-year. Sales of tax-refundable goods grew by 85 percent year-on-year, with sales under the "instant tax refund" policy soaring by 28.1-fold, Zhu Min, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Shanghai is just one of the latest Chinese cities to promote summer tourism consumption.

Qingdao, a popular coastal tourist city of East China's Shandong Province, launched a cultural and tourism consumption season this week, part of the province's broader efforts to boost tourism spending, domestic news portal The Paper reported.

Over 4,000 cultural and tourism events will be held across Shandong this summer to boost consumption. More than 1,000 A-level scenic spots and over 500 star-rated hotels across the province are partnering with financial institutions and online travel platforms to offer various discounts and promotional deals, according to media reports.

East China's Anhui Province recently held a provincial meeting on boosting the summer cultural and tourism market and advancing the development of all-for-one tourism as a pillar industry for 2025, according to a report published on the official website of the provincial government.

The meeting called for the full implementation of policies to stimulate cultural and tourism consumption, seizing summer opportunities to accelerate the development of tourism into a pillar industry, said the report.

Cities in China will allocate over 570 million yuan ($79.56 million) in subsidies to boost domestic consumption as part of efforts to kick off the summer consumption season, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.  

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will launch a nationwide campaign from July to August. During this period, regions across the country will introduce a variety of seasonal cultural and tourism products and activities, focusing on summer consumption trends.

Specific activities include coastal vacations, performances and exhibitions, market fairs, family-friendly entertainment and night-time events. More than 4,300 themed activities, totaling about 39,000 sessions, will be held. 

"Since the start of summer, many provinces and cities across China have actively innovated and enriched consumption scenarios. Driven by tourists' personalized and quality-oriented demands, these localities have been continuously improving tourism services," Cong Yi, a professor at the Tianjin School of Administration, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Cong said that diverse consumption supply will help spark spending potential and overall market vitality. "Consumption is a crucial engine for economic growth and a key driver in smoothing domestic circulation. Promoting strategic synergy between culture and tourism at the consumption level will make significant contributions to stimulating consumption and comprehensively expanding domestic demand," he said.

'China travel' highlighted

Among the highlights of China's growing tourism consumption trend, inbound tourism has gained strong momentum and emerged as a new driver of domestic tourism-related spending. The rollout of unilateral visa-free policies and other supportive measures has made China an increasingly attractive destination for foreign visitors this summer, experts said.

In the first five months of this year, East China's Jiangsu Province received a total of 1.15 million inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 37.8 percent. In Suzhou's Tongli Ancient Town, the number of inbound tour groups rose by 85 percent, with visitors from around the world taking boat rides to experience the town's rich historical and cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, known for its deep cultural and historical roots, remains one of the most popular destinations for both domestic and international tourists. According to media reports, the number of inbound trips to Shaanxi has exceeded 445,000 so far this year, up 66 percent year-on-year.

"An increasing number of domestic cities and scenic spots are becoming popular destinations among foreign tourists. This not only demonstrates the development of China's cultural and tourism industry but also reflects the attractiveness of China's vast market to global consumers," Cong said, noting that localities should seize the opportunity to further enrich tourism product and service supply to promote consumption and cultural prosperity.

With continued improvements in service quality, tourism infrastructure and supportive policies such as the visa-free policy, more cities and scenic spots across China are emerging as must-visit destinations for both domestic and international travelers, Hu Qimu, deputy secretary-general of the Forum 50 for Digital-Real Economies Integration, told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that this rising popularity is not only boosting tourism activity, but also driving growth in related sectors such as accommodation, dining and transportation, injecting fresh momentum into overall consumer spending.

Looking ahead, the potential is immense, as China's continued efforts to open up, along with improved services and infrastructure, are making the country an increasingly attractive destination for international travelers, the expert said, adding that this momentum is further energizing the tourism sector and providing fresh impetus for the recovery and growth of consumption.

Unlike NATO, which is a military alliance, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) can help promote peace and serve as an important tool for safeguarding the development of countries in the region, said Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday when attending the SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province.

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with Asif on the same day. Asif praised China's efforts in preventing the escalation of regional tensions, noting that recent months have seen rising instability and conflict across the region. He said Pakistan highly values its ironclad friendship with China and is willing to work closely with Beijing to implement the three major global initiatives, deepen practical defense cooperation, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

In a media interview later on, he described the meeting with Dong as "very fruitful," adding, "We are friends, we are brothers. We discussed matters of mutual interest."

He said that SCO member states would unite to confront regional terrorism and work collectively for the region's stability. "We hope the SCO members will get together to fight this menace in this region and work for the stability of the countries of our region and the region as a whole," Asif said.

"SCO can be an alternate platform for cooperation within this region and also beyond," Asif told the Global Times among a group of reporters. "This platform can be a very important vehicle to further the peace in this region and protect the countries of this region so they can live in harmony and work for the economic development of our citizens."

Previously, the accession of Belarus was formalized at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in 2024. Since its inception in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO has so far expanded from a regional organization with six members into a trans-regional organization with 10 full members, two observer countries, and 14 dialogue partners, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

As the NATO summit began on Tuesday in The Hague, Netherlands, and is set to last for two days, Asif also emphasized the difference between NATO and the SCO. "NATO is basically a military alliance. It's a very exclusive club, completely influenced by Western countries." 

In contrast, the SCO is not a military alliance, he said, adding that "it's more of an economic alliance. However, the situation that has developed over the past few months in this region definitely calls for security cooperation among SCO member states." 

A new study by a Chinese research team exploring how exercise helps the body at a molecular level has discovered that a substance called betaine can mimic the effects of exercise and may support healthy aging.

The study, published in the journal Cell, was jointly conducted by researchers at the Institute of Zoology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China National Center for Bioinformation, and the Xuanwu Hospital under the Capital Medical University.

As the biological basis of life activities, exercise is recognized with well-established health benefits. However, its scientific principles, especially the molecular mechanisms, have not been fully revealed.

With joint efforts over six years, the study team carried out an integrated multi-omics analysis on the molecular-cellular dynamic responses of the human body to acute exercise and long-term regular exercise.

The study revealed for the first time that the kidney is a key response organ to exercise effects. Its endogenous metabolite betaine binds to and inhibits TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), thus reducing inflammation and alleviating the aging process of multiple organs.

The new findings revealed the molecular benefits of exercise and positioned betaine as an exercise mimetic for healthy aging, showed the study.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Beijing on Friday, calling on both sides to place greater emphasis on cooperation, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

For more than 50 years, since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-New Zealand relations have long been at the forefront of China's relations with Western developed countries, Xi said.

As the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership enters its second decade, both sides should work to grow the partnership and bring more benefits to the two peoples, he said.

Xi stressed that China and New Zealand should place greater emphasis on cooperation in bilateral relations, leverage their complementary strengths, deepen trade and investment cooperation, and explore potential for cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, climate change, and infrastructure.

He encouraged both sides to strengthen exchanges in education, culture, among youth and at non-governmental and sub-national levels.

"There are no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interests between China and New Zealand. Both countries should respect each other, seek common ground while reserving differences, and appropriately view and address differences and disagreements," Xi said.

As builders and defenders of the post-war international order, China and New Zealand should jointly uphold the international system with the UN at its core, and maintain the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, he said. He urged both sides to work together to safeguard international fairness and justice and make the international order more just and equitable.

New Zealand attaches great importance to its relations with China and will continue to adhere to the one-China policy, Luxon said, adding that his country is willing to uphold mutual respect and understanding with China and maintain high-level exchanges.

He expressed hopes for expanding trade and investment, deepening cooperation in agriculture, fishery and dairy industry, and enhancing exchanges in tourism and education.

Luxon said the world today is full of uncertainties, and the international community expects China to play a greater role. He said New Zealand is willing to actively communicate and coordinate with China to safeguard the multilateral trading system and jointly address global challenges.

Wang Xiaolong, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, said that "The key outcome of the visit is the reaffirmation by both sides of the shared commitment to the bilateral relationship, a relationship defined and underpinned by mutually respectful and mutually beneficial cooperation. It is particularly pertinent given the fundamental interests of the two countries and the turbulent times we are going through at the moment."

The key highlight of the meeting was the shared emphasis by President Xi and Prime Minister Luxon on further expanding bilateral cooperation, Chen Hong, a professor and director of the New Zealand Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Beyond traditional areas such as trade, investment, agriculture, education, and tourism — which have long underpinned the relationship — both sides aim to tap new potential in emerging sectors including technological innovation, climate change response, and infrastructure development, said Chen.

"These new areas of cooperation are both complementary and mutually beneficial, offering fresh opportunities for growth while reflecting joint efforts to address global challenges," said Chen.

In a post on X, Luxon said that his meeting with President Xi was "constructive" and said that "in a complex world, open dialogue is more important than ever." 

In a report on Friday, Radio New Zealand described the meeting as "highly anticipated" and said that it took place "against a backdrop of global volatility." 

During the Friday meeting, the two leaders also underscored the importance of the multilateral system and their shared commitment to safeguarding global frameworks, including trade. Luxon highlighted growing global uncertainties and expressed expectation for China to play a greater role, which showed that New Zealand has viewed China as a reliable partner in promoting certainty amid global volatility, Chen said.

New momentum

The Friday meeting and Luxon's visit to China will inject new momentum into future bilateral cooperation, experts said, citing new visa arrangements, frequent high-level exchanges, and broader sectoral engagement during Luxon's visit to Shanghai and Beijing.

Rhys Griffiths, CEO of Deer Industry New Zealand, told the Global Times that the official visit shows the importance of the relationship between the two countries and he is optimistic that bilateral relations will continue to prosper.

"China is New Zealand's No. 1 trading partner. I think Chinese consumers in turn recognize the quality of the products our farmers produce back in New Zealand. We are very excited by the prospects of the China market," Griffiths said.

New Zealand is simplifying transit procedures and lowering costs for Chinese travelers to enhance tourism and trade. Starting in November, Chinese passport holders will no longer require a traditional Transit Visa to pass through New Zealand airports. Instead, they will be able to obtain a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), which is cheaper and faster to process, according to a Xinhua report on Thursday. 

Data from Chinese online travel platform Ctrip sent to the Global Times on Friday showed that as of Wednesday, inbound travel bookings to New Zealand in 2024 have increased by 95 percent year-on-year.

The outcomes of Luxon's visit reflect the steady strengthening of China-New Zealand relations. Frequent high-level and people-to-people exchanges have fostered mutual understanding and trust, driving deeper cooperation across various sectors. This positive cycle continues to enhance bilateral ties, Chen said.

Luxon's visit to China has also drawn attention from Western media. A Reuters report referred to New Zealand's "mature relationship" with China, mentioning that the country seeks to balance economic pragmatism while talking about Pacific security.

New Zealand has shown a strong adaptability to balance its relationships with China, the US and Australia. While being a Five Eyes member with deep alliances, New Zealand values its relationship with China and navigates geopolitical complexities with independence and flexibility, said Chen.

On Pacific Island issues, China and New Zealand also have opportunities to work together and contribute positively to regional development rather than adopting policies of exclusionism, said the expert.

Luxon's visit reflects a proactive and positive approach to China policy, which forms the foundation of New Zealand's broader strategy. "Amid growing global uncertainties and regional tensions, both China and New Zealand, as key Asia-Pacific nations, share a responsibility to help maintain stability and promote development," said Chen.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson announces:

Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will attend the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC) in Tianjin from June 24 to 25. Premier Li Qiang will attend the Opening Plenary and deliver a special address, meet with foreign guests, and have a conversation with representatives of the foreign business community.

President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa, Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Aleshovich Kasymaliev, Prime Minister of Senegal Ousmane Sonko, and Prime Minister of Viet Nam Pham Minh Chinh will attend the AMNC. Over 1,700 representatives from the political, business, academic and media communities from over 90 countries and regions will also take part in the AMNC.

The UN Charter laid the foundation for the modern international order and established the basic norms of contemporary international relations, but at present, the cause of international peace has been severely challenged - the military strikes launched by the US and Israel against Iran violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and the US withdrawal from treaties and divestment have severely impacted multilateralism, Chinese envoy to the UN office at Geneva Chen Xu said on Monday.

Speaking at a side event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter hosted by the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Chen said China advocates practicing true multilateralism, adhering to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, upholding peace to promote development and human rights, and supporting the United Nations in steadily advancing reforms.

The Group of Friends for Defending the UN Charter is an advocate for supporting multilateralism, upholding fairness and justice, and opposing unilateral sanctions. China is willing to work with members of the Group and the international community, continue to uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence - mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence - firmly safeguard the role of the United Nations, make positive contributions to maintaining world peace, promoting common development, and realizing human rights for all, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Chen noted. 

The meeting was chaired by Alexander Yánez Deleuze, the permanent representative of Venezuela to Geneva. Permanent representatives or senior diplomats from countries such as Iran, Cuba, and Russia delivered speeches on current international situations, human rights, security and other topics. More than 40 countries including Belarus, Eritrea, Honduras, and Panama sent representatives to attend the meeting.

When asked about the phone call between US President Donald Trump and the Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine crisis on Monday, after which Trump said Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations for a ceasefire, while Putin said that Russia would "continue to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a potential future peace treaty outlining a number of positions," without reaching an agreement on unconditional ceasefire, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that China supports all efforts conducive to peace. 

"We support direct dialogue and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and a political solution to the crisis. We hope all parties can reach a fair, lasting, and binding peace agreement that is acceptable to all sides through dialogue and negotiation," Mao said.

In response to another question on whether China would support or consider participating in Russia-Ukraine negotiations, as several locations — including the Vatican — are being considered as possible venues for negotiations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that on the issue of Ukraine crisis, China supports all efforts conducive to peace. 

"We are willing to work with the international community, in accordance with the wishes of the parties concerned, to continue playing a constructive role in resolving the crisis and achieving lasting peace," the spokesperson said. 

When asked to comment on the EU and the UK's announcement on Tuesday of a new round of sanctions against Russia - targeting its energy, military, and financial sectors and also including Chinese and UAE companies on the sanctions list, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Wednesday that China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council. She expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the EU's unjust sanctions against Chinese companies. 

Mao emphasized that China has always been committed to promoting peace talks and de-escalation regarding the Ukraine crisis. It has never provided lethal weapons to any party involved in the conflict and strictly controls the export of dual-use items. She also noted that most countries, including those in Europe and the US, continue to conduct trade with Russia. Normal interactions and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises should not be disrupted or interfered with. The EU should stop applying double standards on economic and trade cooperation with Russia and refrain from harming the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its lawful rights and interests, said Mao.

China has postponed the return of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship, originally scheduled for Tuesday, due to unfavorable weather conditions at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the China Manned Space Agency said.

The weather conditions failed to meet mission requirements, the agency said, adding that the operation will be rescheduled in the coming days to ensure astronaut safety and mission success.

Question: Recently, there have been various comments in the UK regarding the government's takeover of British Steel. Several politicians took the opportunity to attack all Chinese companies and the Chinese government. What's your comment?

Embassy Spokesperson: The anti-China rhetoric of some individual British politicians is extremely absurd, reflecting their arrogance, ignorance and twisted mindset. Regarding the issue of British Steel, I'd like to share a few basic facts.

1. The Jingye Group is a private Chinese enterprise that makes business investments in the UK on the basis of market principles and conducts operation on its own.

2. It is well-known that British Steel had been losing money for many years before its acquisition by Jingye in 2020 and actually went into compulsory liquidation in 2019. After taking over, Jingye put in substantial funding to keep the company afloat to this day. Had it not been for the involvement of this Chinese company, British Steel workers might have already faced the risk of unemployment.

3. It is understood that under the UK government's net zero strategy, steel companies that use iron ore to make steel must achieve net zero emissions by 2035. To that end, British steel companies including British Steel have all negotiated with the government to find a path to decarbonisation transition. Among them, the Port Talbot Steelworks in Wales closed its blast furnace in July 2024. British Steel's plan to close its blast furnaces and build electric arc furnaces is a normal decision, and it is understandable that the company conducted negotiations with the government on investment for the transition.

4. Generally speaking, Chinese companies in the UK have operated in compliance with law and achieved steady progress. They have made positive contributions to the local economy. According to statistics available, Chinese companies in the UK have contributed over 115 billion pounds to the UK economy and created nearly 60,000 jobs.

5. At a time when the US is wielding the tariff stick against all countries, the UK included, and engaging in unilateral and protectionist trade bullying, those British politicians just keep slandering the Chinese government and Chinese enterprises instead of criticizing the United States. What on earth are they up to?

6. Any words or deeds that politicise or maliciously hype up business issues will undermine the confidence of Chinese business investors in the UK and damage China-UK economic and trade cooperation. We urge the British government to follow the principles of fairness, impartiality and non-discrimination and to make sure that the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies in the UK are protected. At the same time, it is hoped that the British government will continue to engage in consultations and negotiations with Jingye to actively seek a solution acceptable to all parties. We will continue to follow the development of this situation.