China, Russia hold annual strategic security consultation

China and Russia held the 19th round of their annual strategic security consultation in Beijing on Tuesday, with both sides exchanging in-depth views on major issues of common concern related to strategic security.

The meeting was co-chaired by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, and Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Wang said that under the leadership of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have maintained sound, stable momentum amid changes in global affairs.

Both sides adhere to the principles of lasting good-neighborliness and friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination, and mutually beneficial cooperation, all of which serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples, Wang observed.

He said that China and Russia have supported each other firmly on issues concerning their core interests, deepened political mutual trust and promoted practical cooperation, creating a new model for relations between neighboring major countries, and significantly promoting solidarity and cooperation within the Global South.

Guided by the consensus reached by the two heads of state, the China-Russia strategic security consultation mechanism should strengthen coordination on strategic and overarching issues related to the security and development interests of both sides, Wang said.

Wang also called for enhanced exchange and multilateral coordination between the two countries amid the changing international landscape, so as to provide a strong guarantee for the high-level development momentum of China-Russia relations and ensure that the two countries work together to maintain global strategic stability.

Shoigu said that Russia is willing to work with China to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and enhance bilateral cooperation and coordination within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, aiming to promote the continuous development of Russia-China relations.

China, Russia hold annual strategic security consultation

China, Russia hold annual strategic security consultation

China, Russia hold annual strategic security consultation

China, Russia hold annual strategic security consultation

China's cultural and tourism market showed solid growth during the 2026 May Day holiday, with domestic trips and total spending both ahead of last year’s holiday, according to official data released on Thursday.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that 325 million domestic trips were made across the country during the 5 day holiday, representing a 3.6 percent increase from the same period last year.

Tourists spent 185.49 billion yuan (about 27.08 billion U.S. dollars), up 2.9 percent year on year, the ministry said, citing calculations from its data center.

Public cultural institutions across the country organized around 49,400 cultural events during the holiday, attracting approximately 88 million tourists, the ministry noted.

Nighttime cultural tourism in key centers remained robust, with major nighttime tourism destinations receiving more than 80.41 million visits, an increase of 6.44 percent year on year.

During the May Day holiday, around 32,000 commercial performances, excluding performances in entertainment venues, were held nationwide, generating box office revenue of 2.476 billion yuan (about 364 million U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 14.66%.

Trips by foreign nationals to and from China during the holiday rose to nearly 1.26 million, a 12.5 percent increase from a year earlier, with 436,000 travelers arriving visa-free, up 14.7 percent.

Chinese make more domestic trips, spend more money during 2026 May Day holiday