Russia said on Tuesday that its forces had struck multiple Ukrainian targets from various directions while Ukraine claimed that its troops attacked Russia's artillery system and a command post over the past 24 hours.
The Russian Ministry of Defense Tuesday reported that the Russian army occupied more advantageous positions in multiple directions, striking targets including a Ukrainian military factory producing solid propellant for missiles, a fuel depot and an equipment depot. Russian air defense forces also intercepted a number of Ukrainian drones, rockets and aerial bombs.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported that its troops had dozens of combat engagements with the Russian army, repelled the Russian attacks in Kupyansk, Bakhmut and Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine and Kherson in southern Ukraine, and hit Russia's artillery system and a command post.
Russia says strikes Ukrainian military factory, Ukraine claims attacks Russian command post
The bustling Xiushui Business Street (Silk Street) in Beijing is experiencing a significant surge in visits paid by international tourists, thanks to the country's implementation of visa-free policy.
The business street, known for its array of shops selling a wide range of souvenirs and gifts and a vibrant shopping atmosphere, is among the top destinations for visitors from abroad.
Since earlier this year, China has implemented a visa-free policy that exempts many European ordinary passport holders from the time-consuming and costly obligation, encouraging travelers from nearly a dozen European countries to explore this Asian country. It allows ordinary passport holders of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg, to enter and stay in China visa-free for up to 15 days for business, tourism, transit, as well as visiting relatives and friends .
Against such a backdrop, the business street, with a spike in international tourist arrivals, has offered popular options with distinctive Beijing features to foreign visitors.
"From January to April this year, the combined number of overseas tourists we received was expected to increase by nearly 20 times from the previous year. We've selected a batch of souvenirs that can represent Beijing for our customers, so as to make each and every of them happy," said Dong Qing, an employee of the business street.
Ibeku hailing from Nigeria was on a business trip to Beijing. She came to the business street to tailor a suit of Nigerian traditional costume with Chinese silk.
"First of all, I love fashion. So if we have Chinese silk [and] Nigerian style [together], that's like a mix of cultures, and that's what we are all hoping to get this day," she said.
Taking into account the tight schedule of foreign customers, many merchants reduce the time it takes to craft bespoke garments from the traditional four to five days down to an impressive 18 hours.
Furthermore, they also provide global mailing services for international customers who express concern about limited luggage space or tight travel schedules.
According to data released by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the capital city received 469,000 inbound tourist arrivals in the first quarter of this year, up by 3.1 times year on year, and the foreign exchange income of tourism is 650 million U.S. dollars, a year-on-year growth of 225.8 percent.
Xiushui Business Street thrives with influx of foreign tourists under visa-free policy
