People across China are enjoying beautiful landscapes and various vibrant activities during the ongoing seven-day National Day holiday.
Enjoying stunning autumn beauty becomes a popular choice to spend the holiday. Visitors are enchanted by colorful leaves in northeast China's Heilongjiang, magnificent waterfalls in southwest China's Guizhou and golden populus euphratica forests in northwest China's Gansu.
"My other half and I drove here ourselves, and the scenery is truly beautiful. It's definitely worth the trip," said Wang Shuxian, who is on a self-driving tour in Gansu.
Cities are also providing a wealth of activities for urban residents seeking to enjoy their leisure time. In central China's Wuhan City, cyclists are able to enjoy riding along a special cycling path. In Beijing, visitors are having fun at Gubei Water Town at the foot of Simatai Great Wall.
"The festive atmosphere here is wonderful and lively. Spending the meaningful National Day holiday in this water town has been a joy," said a visitor at Gubei Water Town.
Folk activities and cultural events are also held across China for visitors to enjoy the holiday.
Yunnan Province in southwest China stages a grand parade featuring performances by ethnic minorities. In east China's Ningbo, nearly 200 children gathered to perform Guzheng, a traditional Chinese musical instrument. Also in east China, the Guangyue Tower with some 650 years of history is illumined and traditional music performances are launched to attract visitors.
Various holiday activities have also unleashed consumption potential. In south China's Hainan and southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, the commercial areas are crowded with people. Visitors are immersed themselves with featured entertainments and local delicious.
"During the National Day holiday, the average daily number of tourist visits exceeded 150,000, boosting the sales of surrounding businesses by 20 percent," said Zhu Wen, a staff member of Guanyinqiao Business District Management Office of Chongqing's Jiangbei District.
The National Day holiday period, which runs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 this year, is a peak travel and tourism season in China.
People across China enjoy vibrant activities during national day holiday
A delegation of 40 students and teachers from seven Chinese mainland universities on Thursday wrapped up their nine-day visit to Taiwan. They set off for Taiwan on Nov. 27 and visited universities, historical sites, scenic spots, as well as sports, sci-tech and cultural venues on the island, widely engaging with locals throughout the tour.
The delegation made the tour at the invitation of the Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation.
"The young people from both sides of the Strait share the same root, and we are having a harmonious communication this time. We also welcome young people from Taiwan to visit the mainland for exchange," Cao Yibo, a student from Peking University, told reporters during the tour.
The delegation included table tennis Olympic champion Ma Long who studies at Beijing Sport University, and air rifle Olympic champion Yang Qian of Tsinghua University.
"In the future, I would like to visit Taiwan again. I did not expect that so many compatriots in Taiwan would come to welcome and us and pay so much attention to our exchange tour," Ma said.
Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, saw off the delegation at the airport on Thursday, and said the mainland students and teachers had received Taiwan residents' heartfelt welcome wherever they went.
"The farewell dinner party was held yesterday evening, when almost all students from the mainland shared their feelings. What moved me so much is that every one of them thanked people here, because the latter sincerely and warmly welcomed them wherever they went during the nine-day tour. They told me that when they go back, they will tell their relatives and friends that people in Taiwan are kind, hospitable and warm. I believe that is the most important purpose of the exchange across the Strait," he said.
Calling youth exchanges a foundation of cross-Strait relations in the future, Hsiao said the foundation will carry on and continue to promote such exchanges across the Strait.
This is the second delegation of mainland teachers and students visiting Taiwan at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, following the visit by a first delegation in July last year.
Delegation of mainland university students, teachers wraps up Taiwan visit
