The newly inaugurated China-Vietnam Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall cross-border tourism cooperation zone is expected to facilitate travels and tourism between the two countries. Launched on Tuesday, the cooperation zone is the first of its kind in China. After its launch in Chongzuo in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the daily limit for cross-border travelers is increased from 500 to 1,000 on each side, and operating hours have been extended from five to six.
"Now tourists can enjoy longer visits and experience many more activities," said a deputy general manager of a Vietnamese travel agency.
The zone also introduces an innovative facial recognition system for entry and exit permits, allowing tourists to authenticate and make reservations via an application of the local police department.
"We received our permits in just ten minutes, and we are ready to go to Vietnam," said a visitor from Guizhou in southwest China.
Since its trial operation began on Sept 15 last year, the cooperation zone has received 1,232 cross-border tourist groups and nearly 18,000 visitors by Oct 10 this year.
"We will create more institutional innovations to make the China-Vietnam Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall cross-border tourism cooperation zone a model for cross-border and green tourism," said Ban Huaqin, deputy director-general of the culture and tourism department of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Cross-border tourism cooperation zone boosts China-Vietnam travels
Iran on Monday publicly rejected a core U.S. demand to cease all uranium enrichment, while projecting a dual-track strategy of guarded diplomatic engagement and reinforced military preparedness.
The moves came as the indirect Iran-US talks in Oman's Muscat last week yielded no breakthrough and regional tensions continued to simmer.
On Monday, Mohammad Eslami, president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said that while Iran could consider diluting its 60-percent enriched uranium, it would only do so if all international sanctions were first lifted.
Eslami also dismissed past proposals to ship the material abroad for safekeeping.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi echoed this line on Monday, reaffirming Tehran's strategy of engaging in talks while refusing to concede on what Iran views as sovereign rights.
Pezeshkian and Araghchi have described the Muscat talks as a "good start" but warned that diplomacy must be based on "respect, not coercion."
In a televised speech on Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei urged Iranians to show unity and "disappoint the enemy" ahead of the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, amid rising tensions with the United States.
Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, is set to lead a delegation to visit mediator Oman on Tuesday.
Simultaneously, Iran has signaled a shift toward greater military opacity. Iran's state news agency IRNA said in a report on Sunday that the Defense Ministry has halted all public displays of new weaponry "for security reasons and to safeguard the principle of surprise," a move widely interpreted as preparing for potential conflict.
Positions from the United States and Israel have appeared equally firm. A report on Sunday by Israel's Channel 15 said the United States had privately messaged Iran, seeking Iran's "concessions" in the next round of talks, and expecting "serious and meaningful content."
On Monday, The Jerusalem Post, citing Israeli defense officials, reported that Israel has warned the U.S. it "will strike alone" if Iran crosses its "red lines" on ballistic missiles.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday that he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb 11 in Washington, and will discuss the U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Netanyahu is expected to demand that the U.S. promote the transfer of Iran's enriched uranium out of the country and restrict Iran's ballistic missile capabilities.
Iran rejects zero enrichment, projects dual-track posture amid stalled talks with U.S.
