Businesses in south China's Guangzhou City are embracing increased reservations and foot traffic ahead of Mother's Day, which falls on Sunday.
At present, Guangzhou has witnessed an eightfold increase in search volume for the keyword "Mother's Day" on online platforms compared to the previous month. Some restaurants have already filled all available reservations.
"We chose to dine out today rather on Mother's Day to avoid crowds. Since I only have Sunday off this week, I'll celebrate Mother's Day at home and then go out to spend later," said Feng, a Guangzhou resident.
"I've already booked this restaurant for Mother's Day a week ahead for a group of over ten people," said another resident named Yang.
Restaurant manager Zhang Zhiqiang said that Mother's Day is always busy for catering businesses, comparable to the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year.
"Reservations for both lunch and dinner on Mother's Day, including the lunch buffet in our two private rooms and the dining hall, are fully booked. There are still a few seats available for the dinner buffet," Zhang added.
Some shopping malls have also rolled out preferential offers and discounts to attract consumers on the special occasion.
"On Mother's Day, we'll offer a special reward multiplier that triples membership card holder's bonus points gained from each purchase. We also give coupons to customers who meet the criteria for buying cosmetics, clothing, and jewelry. Moreover, customers spending over 3,000 yuan (415 U.S. dollars) at the mall will be eligible to join a lucky draw," said Huang Kunhui, business director of a shopping mall in Guangzhou.
Businesses in Guangzhou embrace surge in reservations ahead of Mother's Day
A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Lai Ching-te has sent "a dangerous signal" of seeking "Taiwan independence" and making provocations to undermine cross-Strait peace and stability in his speech upon assuming the role of Taiwan region's new leader on Monday.
Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, described Lai's speech as one that stubbornly followed the "Taiwan independence" stance, wantonly advocated separatism, incited cross-Strait confrontation and sought independence by relying on foreign support and by force.
Chen said the mainstream public aspiration on the island is for peace and development, instead of war and recession, while Lai has ignored the public opinion, exposing his nature of being "a worker for Taiwan independence."
The current complex and grave situation across the Strait is rooted in the fact that the Democratic Progressive Party has stubbornly stuck to the separatist stance of "Taiwan independence," rejected the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle, and kept colluding with external forces to make provocations of seeking "Taiwan independence," Chen said.
Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, said Chen, stressing that "Taiwan independence" and peace across the Strait are incompatible as fire and water.
"We have firm determination to resolve the Taiwan question and realize national reunification; we have strong capabilities to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity; and we will take resolute actions to fight separatist activities seeking 'Taiwan independence' and external interference," he said.
"We will never tolerate any 'Taiwan independence' separatist acts in any form," said Chen.
China must and will be reunified, Chen stressed. No matter how the situation on the island changes and who assumes the regional leader, it will not change the fact that both sides of the Strait belong to one China, or impede the historical trend of national reunification, he said.
"We will fully implement the Party's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, unswervingly uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, work together with Taiwan compatriots to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and cross-Strait integrated development, and resolutely advance the reunification of the motherland," said Chen.
Mainland says Lai sends "dangerous signal" in speech as Taiwan's new leader
