Tourist attractions across China have seen a surge of international and domestic visitors during the peak summer season.
The Beijing Central Axis has become a popular destination for tourists from home and abroad since it was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tourist trips around the Axis average 2.26 million daily with 3,700 tour groups organized, after the local tourism authorities created thematic routes for tourists to explore historical and cultural spots along the way.
As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the archaeological discovery of the Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C.-207 B.C.), the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has received more than 1.8 million visitor trips during this summer peak. Cooling equipment has been installed at the ticket gate of the museum to make the visits more comfortable.
Dunhuang City in northwest China's Gansu Province, renowned for the Mogao Caves, has seen more than double the number of tourists this year than last. Authorities at the Mogao Caves have initiated emergency measures to ensure smooth and orderly visits.
The Shandong Museum in Jinan City in east China's Shandong Province is exhibiting over 1,000 cultural relics, including oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.), attracting 400,000 visitor trips in July.
The ancient canal in Wuxi City in east China's Jiangsu Province, and the lively street performers in the area, attracted over 4 million tourist trips in July. The city has become a popular destination for students and family tours.
"The culture and landscape are appealing, so I brought my child here to experience during the summer vacation," said Huang, a tourist.
Xishuangbanna, in southwest China's Yunnan Province, renowned for its unique flora and fauna, has held scientific activities geared to tourists at the Tropical Botanical Garden, which is run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The cool weather in Liupanshui City, in southwest China's Guizhou Province, has become a haven for sports and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world, while Chongqing Municipality in southwest China and Gao'an City in east China's Jiangxi Province have laid on water sports and other activities for visitors.
The Beiji (Arctic) Village in Mohe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, is another popular summer resort for tourists offering an average temperature of a cool 18 degrees Celsius in summer.
"It's vast and the air is fresh. I've got to learn a lot of new plants and animals here," said Guo Xiaomu, a tourist.
Tourist attractions across China embrace surge in visitor numbers
Since the beginning of this year, China's financial sector has further improved financing services for small and micro enterprises, particularly by addressing financing blockages for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), amidst the country's strengthened support for businesses in recent years.
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission recently issued a document addressing the blockages in the financing process of MSMEs.
According to the document, the range of entities eligible for liability exemption upon fulfilling due diligence has been broadened to cover loans in key areas such as small and micro enterprises, self-employed individuals, owners of small and micro enterprises, and farmers. This move aims to effectively reduce the burden on grassroots credit personnel and address their concerns regarding lending.
Meanwhile, the scope of renewal has been broadened from certain small and micro enterprises to include all small and micro enterprises.
It is specified that small and micro enterprises with working capital loans and owners of small and micro enterprises, self-employed individuals, and farmers who continue to require financing after the loan terms can seek renewal support from banks.
To enhance support for small and micro enterprises, coordination among different national departments, as well as between national ministries and local governments, is growing increasingly tight.
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission have established a coordination mechanism to bolster financing for small and micro enterprises.
For instance, special teams have been set up at the county and district levels throughout China to comprehensively assess the financing needs of small and micro enterprises.
For small and micro enterprises with genuine financing needs and good credit standing, banks are required to complete credit approvals within one month in principle, guaranteeing direct access to credit funds for these enterprises.
As of the end of August this year, the balance of inclusive loans to small and micro enterprises nationwide reached 31.9 trillion yuan (around 4.5 trillion U.S. dollars), doubling that at the end of 2017, with the average interest rate decreasing by a cumulative 3.5 percentage points.
By the end of September, the six major commercial banks - Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), Bank of China (BOC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Bank of Communications (BCM), and Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) - have collectively extended over 2.2 trillion yuan (around 310.9 billion U.S. dollars) in newly added inclusive loans to small and micro enterprises this year.
China's financial sector further removes MSMEs' financing blockages in 2024
