Since the BRICS Summit held in Chinese port city Xiamen in 2017, the total import and export volume between Xiamen and BRICS countries had reached 539.45 billion yuan (about 75.8 billion U.S. dollars) as of the end of September, according to the data from Xiamen Customs.
During the period, the total exports were 177.46 billion yuan (about 24.9 billion U.S. dollars) and imports were 361.99 billion yuan (about 50.9 billion U.S. dollars).
Data show that private enterprises are the main force of Xiamen's exports to BRICS countries. Since 2017, the total export volume from private enterprises in the city to BRICS countries has reached 93.81 billion yuan (about 13.2 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for 52.9 percent of Xiamen's total exports to BRICS countries during the same period.
In terms of imports, state-owned enterprises performed well, with a total import value of 234.77 billion yuan (about 33 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for 64.9 percent of Xiamen's total imports from BRICS countries during the same period.
According to relevant personnel from Xiamen Customs, Xiamen's exports to BRICS countries are mainly electromechanical products and labor-intensive products, while imports are mainly energy and minerals.
The three-day 16th BRICS Summit kicked off in the Russian city of Kazan on Tuesday, with this gathering being the first held since the group's expansion earlier this year.
Import, export volume between Xiamen, BRICS countries grows steadily
An exciting wave of innovative winter tourism experiences is drawing visitors to the icy parts of China, as destinations transform ice and snow resources into immersive, experience-driven attractions that boost local consumption and development.
In Jiuru Mountain Scenic Area in Jinan City, east China's Shandong Province, towering icefalls formed by the area's canyon terrain and sustained winter cold create a spectacular frozen landscape.
Covering around 30,000 square meters, dense icicles and ice curtains hang like crystal glass, offering visitors a prime viewing season.
This winter, the scenic area has creatively incorporated fire elements, installing more than 100 stoves and log cabins throughout the park, creating a unique scene with "a stove available every few steps and a wooden cabin every 100 meters."
"The experience is really amazing and far beyond my expectations," said a tourist named Tian Yujuan.
Beyond sightseeing, the tourist attraction has also introduced more than 20 creative handicraft studios where visitors can make sachets and chocolates, while its snow play park that features ice sleds and snow tubing has become especially popular with families.
Since the New Year's Day, both visitor numbers and operating revenues at the site have more than doubled year on year.
In Yinchuan City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, local attractions are also expanding winter offerings through a "snow and ice plus" model.
On the Yuehai Lake, tourists wearing specially designed red protective suits float calmly in icy water in an activity known as "ice floating". The suits feature heat-locking inner layers and high-buoyancy outer layers, ensuring warmth and safety, while on-site photography services use drones and cameras to capture the experience.
"On weekends, I am willing to come to nearby cities to experience this kind of effortless relaxation. I find it quite stress-relieving," said a tourist.
In Pingxiliang Village, a small mountain village in suburban Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, ice and snow tourism has become a catalyst for rural revitalization.
Once an extremely impoverished village, Pingxiliang has developed winter cultural tourism by leveraging local resources.
Nowadays, more than 80 percent of households in the village operate homestays, and 236 villagers work in tourism, with related income accounting for over 70 percent of the total revenue.
Meanwhile, at the Sayram Lake in Xinjiang, winter visitors are flocking to newly created blue ice waterfalls -- each about 10 meters high and covering a total area of 15,000 square meters.
Built by staff who erected supports and sprayed water starting in November, the frozen formations preserve the natural shape of cascading water, creating a striking man-made icefall.
Shared widely on social media, the blue ice waterfalls have become a new must-see destination for winter tourists to the Sayram Lake.
China's winter tourism blends ice landscapes with immersive experiences
