The rime brought on by a new cold wave sweeping across China has played a role in transforming parts of the colder Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China and Jilin Province in northeast China into what appear to be dreamy snowy scenic spots.
In the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a large-scale snowfall blanketed the Taklimakan Desert, China's largest desert, also known as the "Sea of Death," creating a spectacular scene. Snowflakes, like delicate petals, have gently fell across the yellow sands and plants, softening the harsh desert landscape and creating a glittering, ethereal world.
In Jilin Province, the cold wave has boosted the popularity of ice and snow tourism at the famous Changbai Mountain scenic area. One of the highlights is river drifting, which attracts visitors from across the country.
As they drift down the river, tourists are captivated by the stunning landscape, with trees on the riverbanks coated in a layer of rime frost. This year, more than ten new spots have been opened for tourists in the Changbai Mountain scenic area, and over 60,000 visitors have already experienced the activity.
Cold waves bring dreamy snowy scenes to parts of northern China
As China's 15th Five-Year Plan enters its inaugural year, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, a re-elected Hong Kong deputy in the National People's Congress, said he hopes Hong Kong can better integrate into and contribute to the nation's overall development.
That involves ensuring Hong Kong's voice is heard in the development of national strategies, while effectively communicating the central government's vision to the people of Hong Kong, Fok said.
This year, Fok brought nine proposals to the ongoing 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, covering different areas including sports, culture, aviation and consumption.
"I'm always very concerned about sports and culture. This is where really my heart lies. But I think as a deputy I should also have a much broader [vision], not just concentrate on one specific area. So, of course, I mentioned about sports and also Greater Bay Area sports. But another issue, maybe first time I brought it to the table, is about our aviation hub. How do we keep up with the race with all the regional hubs also rising at the same time? This is our core strategy, core competence in Hong Kong and how do we make it better," Fok said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) released on Saturday.
In the 2026 Government Work Report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the opening session of the 14th NPC on Thursday, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is encouraged to build itself into a world-class city cluster.
The report also pledged to develop the Greater Bay Area into an international center for scientific and technological innovation.
"I also think about the national objectives, what are the important milestones we are trying to hit in the next five years, next 10 years. China has been doing so well and it's such a great exporter to the world as a part of the world village. But we need to strengthen ourselves by increasing consumption. Actually, consumption should be the core of our engine. We should enable our own population to be able to consume more to boost the economy," he said.
China's NPC deputy discusses how HK can better integrate into country’s overall development
