Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China is enchanting growing numbers of tourists with its unique winter scenery, ski resorts and cultural events.
As the region embraces a five-month snow season, its ice-snow tourism has picked up speed since winter began, injecting vitality into the local economy.
In Altay Prefecture, four major ski resorts are now receiving over 10,000 skiers every day after their seasonal opening in late November.
Data showed that Altay has received 2.35 million visits since mid October, up more than 60 percent year on year.
"I am here a few times each year to ski. The ski resorts in Xinjiang are great, and I particularly enjoy night skiing," said Zhang Jingyi, a resort visitor from Shanghai.
Meanwhile, numerous ice and snow activities were held in the prefecture's Hemu Village, where visitors have gathered to watch performances and appreciate the snowy scenery. Sport enthusiasts are often drawn to competitions involving local customs, including ancient fur skiing, snow horse racing, and archery competitions.
"I feel lucky to catch the local events taking place here. The ski resort and horse racing are particularly enjoyable, and the jockeys are especially impressive," said a tourist from south China's Guangdong Province.
With favorable natural conditions and multiple high-standard ski resorts, Xinjiang has played a starring role in the development of China's booming winter sports industry.
Winter tourists flock to Xinjiang's ski resorts, culturally rich villages
The newly passed National Development Planning Law will better support China's development objectives by ensuring the continuity, stability, and authority of national development plans through institutional measures, according to a senior legislative affairs official in Beijing.
The law was adopted on Thursday by the National People's Congress (NPC) , the supreme organ of state power, at the closing meeting of its annual session. It will govern how the country formulates and carries out its five-year development plans, formalizing a system that has long guided the world's second-largest economy. Drawing on China's long-standing experience in national development planning, the law codifies proven practices into a legal framework and aims to reinforce the strategic guiding role of national development plans.
Tong Weidong, director of the State Law Department of the Legislative Affairs Commission under the Standing Committee of NPC, said the law will help legalize and standardize national development planning.
"Formulating and implementing five-year plans have long been the 'winning formula' behind China's rapid economic growth and enduring social stability. China has implemented 14 consecutive five-year plans, achieving remarkable success and accumulating valuable experience that must be carefully reviewed. This session of the NPC deliberated and approved the National Development Planning Law, elevating our long-standing and well-established practices and experience in formulating and implementing national development plans into legal provisions. Strengthening institutional achievements through legislation will promote the legalization and standardization of national development planning," he said.
He said the law will boost the continuity, stability, and authority of national development plans going forward.
"Since the start of reform and opening up, the implementation of every five-year plan has been notably effective. Many plans have even exceeded their targets ahead of schedule. The National Development Planning Law includes provisions to ensure the continuity and stability of national development planning. The law enhances continuity, stability, and authority of national development plans through institutional measures such as stronger policy coordination and resource allocation, stricter procedural requirements for plan adjustments, and greater oversight by the NPC. This provides stable expectations for investment from both domestic and foreign capital," said the official.
Newly adopted development planning law to better serve China's development goals: legislative affairs official
