Festive vibes are getting richer across China as people are welcoming the arrival of Spring Festival with various characteristic activities.
In Xiaxian County of north China's Shanxi Province, traditional performances like stilt walking and lion dance have won rounds of applause from spectators. People can also enjoy over 100 of local delicacies, with some of them being intangible cultural heritage.
The Wudang Mountain scenic spot in Hubei Province's Shiyan City has turned into a colorful cultural world, with several artistic performances on stage.
From dancing, martial art to acrobatics, these shows have created a comprehensive immersive experience for tourists with the help of visual devices and hologram technology.
During the Spring Festival holiday, the scenic spot will also hold additional light show and lantern fair, wowing visitors with its unique charm and rich festive atmosphere.
"We hope, with these colorful artistic performances, tourists around the world will come to Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province's Shiyan City to celebrate the Spring Festival," said He Yaochen, person in charge of the scenic spot.
Right before the Chinese New Year, a village gala was held on the bank of the Lugu Lake in Lijiang City of southwest China's Yunnan Province. Villagers showed their talents with instrumental performances and dancing, attracting a lot of tourists.
"I feel so lucky to see such a wonderful show and the stunning view, and to experience the amazing culture," said a tourist.
Some residents in Luoyang City of central China's Henan Province had a chance to closely watch shows of intangible cultural heritage, such as lion dance, "Bian Lian" (face-changing) and fire-spitting.
They also ate tasty food and played games at a Spring Festival fair.
"I'm very happy. This has made our life more colorful," said Cheng Lingling, a local resident.
Baoqing County in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province is buzzing with excitement, as a Spring Festival fair is packed with local food and daily necessities to celebrate the festival.
People across China ring in Spring Festival with culture-rich activities
The Ecological and Environmental Code solidifies China's successful reform experiences in the form of law, transforming ecological conservation into a long-term national goal for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, said a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday.
Chinese lawmakers voted to adopt the Ecological and Environmental Code at the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing earlier in the day.
Lyu Zhongmei, also vice chair of the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee, who first proposed the drafting of the code, said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) that the adoption of the code represents a milestone in transforming the country's successful reform policies into a stable legal framework, with profound implications on both national ecological governance and people's daily lives.
"I think this actually sends a very strong signal to the world. Many of our past achievements in ecological civilization system reform were reflected through policies, with numerous reform measures introduced. This time, we are institutionalizing the successful experience of those reforms in the form of law, the most authoritative and stable way to solidify them. This shows that our efforts are not just a one-off campaign. Rather, ecological and environmental protection and the building of an ecological civilization are national goals that reflect the people’s aspiration for a better life and serve the ultimate purpose of ensuring the sustainable development of the Chinese nation," said Lyu.
Lyu highlighted that the code directly enshrines China's greenhouse gas pledge and dual-carbon goals into law, demonstrating the country's concrete actions to fulfill its international responsibilities and uphold its image as a responsible major country.
"We have directly written the commitment to fully meet greenhouse gas targets into the code, and incorporated pledges to use the 'dual carbon' goals as a driving force to advance a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. I think this reflects our concrete actions to honor our commitments and take responsibility to the international community, demonstrating China’s image as a responsible major country," she said.
On the topic of global trade, she explained how the code will help safeguard China's interests.
"On the one hand, we are raising standards for the green and low-carbon transition and adopting market-based measures. Some of the standards we have established based on China's actual situation and the methodologies we have created can contribute China's experience and expertise to the world. On the other hand, the Ecological and Environmental Code also includes provisions on extraterritorial application and establishes China’s own system of environmental protection standards," Lyu said.
Looking to the future, she discussed the code's role in the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, I believe our ecological and environmental protection will undergo fundamental changes. In the past, it relied more on strict administrative enforcement and control. But now, while not lowering strict control standards or reducing strict control measures, we must also introduce more incentive-based measures. Strict regulation will push enterprises to transform and encourage them to pursue environmental protection. The code will provide a clear, long-term and stable norm. In my view, the Ecological and Environmental Code is not only a 'tightening band' that constrains corporate behavior, but also an 'engine' that opens up new tracks for enterprises’ future development," she said.
China's ecological environmental code represents milestone in environmental rule of law
