The ports in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region saw a surge in inbound visits by foreigners to nearly 500,000 in the first two months of 2025, up 27.2 percent year on year, according to the data released by the region's immigration inspection authorities.
The spike in foreign entries came as China has ramped up efforts to facilitate cross-border travel and boosted enthusiasm for cross-border tourism.
Over 2.3 million entries and exits were registered at the ports in Guangxi in January and February, marking a 12.2 percent increase from a year earlier.
Youyi Pass, or Friendship Pass, in Pingxiang City, a key land route between China and ASEAN countries, has witnessed a growing number of travelers crossing the border to explore local delicacies and cultural attractions.
At the port, visitors from across China were seen queuing for border checks before heading abroad.
Dongxing Port, the busiest land border crossing between China and Vietnam, has become a hub for cultural exchanges.
Cross-border buses operate at the inspection border gate, providing direct access to scenic spots.
"We have implemented pre-arrival inspections and dedicated lanes for tour groups to ensure efficient entry procedures. Plus, we have provided fast-track clearance for inbound tour groups, allowing them to go through inspections upon arrival. The steady increase in daily clearance volume reflects the growing popularity of cross-border tourism," said Fan Chunli, deputy team leader of the Dongxing Border Inspection Station.
"I often visit Dongxing with my family on weekends. The border crossing is fast and convenient, just like going home," said Nguyen Huong Lan, a tourist from Vietnam.
"We usually guide four to six Vietnamese tour groups a week. Many of them visit Shanhai Xianglian Square in Zhushan Town in Dongxing to see China’s National Highway 219, while young travelers enjoy checking out the Erqiao night fair and tasting unique Chinese snacks," said Chinese tour guide Lan Zhen.
As of March 11, Dongxing Port had recorded over 1.5 million entries and exits since the beginning of this year.
More than 2,000 Vietnamese tour groups comprising over 17,000 Vietnamese tourists, have entered China via the port, underscoring the strong momentum of cross-border tourism and Dongxing's growing appeal as a gateway for international visitors.
Guangxi ports see nearly 500,000 inbound entries in first two months of 2025
Guangxi sees nearly 500,000 inbound entries in first two months of 2025
The continuing conflict between Israel and Lebanon has not only displaced people from their homes, but also pushed farmers off the land they depend on in the south of the country, as an estimated 80 percent have stopped working due to damaged fields, unsafe roads, and fears of contamination.
Despite Israel and Lebanon agreeing last Thursday to a three-week extension of an original 10-day ceasefire deal which began between in mid-April, deadly Israeli strikes have continued to hit southern parts of Lebanon, resulting in numerous deaths and widespread damage.
Controversy has also arisen over the Israeli military's efforts to extend the territories it occupies in southern Lebanon as part of what it terms as a "security buffer zone" along the border.
Lebanese residents have been warned against returning to their homes within this area, with Israel announcing that anyone who approaches this so-called "Yellow Line" will be considered a threat.
However, in spite of these difficulties, some farmers in the southern city of Tyre are trying to keep their connection to the soil alive.
A group of women have been bravely planting on borrowed land, because their own is now too dangerous to reach. Here, there are growing herbs such as basil, sage, rosemary, mint and thyme in neat rows.
For displaced local farmer Zainab, who hails from the border town of Naqoura, this field is not home, but it is where she has found a way to keep going amid times of crisis.
"I was displaced from my own land. I'm a farmer. I used to farm my land in Naqoura, so I started farming here, too. As you know, most of us from the south are farmers. Agriculture is the main thing we do," she said.
Across southern Lebanon, roughly 80 percent of local farmers have stopped working either because they are unable to reach their land or they fear it is no longer safe.
More than 17,000 farmers have been affected, with their fields damaged by shelling, fires, bulldozing, and contamination.
Officials have condemned the Israeli attacks on the region which have put the livelihood of ordinary people at risk and have cost some innocent civilian their lives.
"Under the recent acts of aggression, there was difficulty for the farmers to get to their lands. Most of the times they would even be targeted. I know some farms owners who hired workers to harvest the crops -- as a result, unfortunately, some of them were killed," said Alwan Charafeddine, the Deputy Mayor of Tyre City.
Agriculture is a key part of the Lebanese economy, but also the backbone of daily life in the south of the country. The region produces staples like olives, citrus, tobacco and vegetables, and when farmers are forced off their land, the consequences are felt across the country.
"I left the land. I left the crops I had planted, which, according to the season, were cabbage, cauliflower, fava beans and peas. More than leaving the land, I left my whole life behind, and now I'm here," said Zainab.
"After the targeting of the bridge that connected Tyre with Sidon, it became hard to get many of the supplies we used to get through there, which has caused the prices of agricultural products to rise," said the deputy mayor.
But amid these hard times, a glimmer of hope remains. On land belonging to local authorities, the Seeds of Tyre project is giving displaced women work, a source of income, and an outlet which allows them to pass on their skills.
Using donated seeds of aromatic herbs, they are producing basil and rose water and orange blossom, generating a small economy which is taking root in the middle of a much larger loss.
For Zainab, working the soil here offers some stability at a time of conflict, with this temporary field helping farmers tick over as they wait for safe access to their own land.
Farmers turn to temporary fields as swathes of land destroyed in southern Lebanon
