Auto shows now held across China are driving up consumption during the five-day May Day Holiday, which started on Thursday.
Auto Shanghai 2025, one of the world's largest automotive exhibitions, which concluded on Friday after a 10-day run, drew approximately 1.01 million visitors from both home and abroad, including 63,000 overseas participants from 97 countries and regions.
The event was deliberately timed to coincide with the May Day holiday and introduced exclusive consumer vouchers that spanned cultural, tourism, commercial, and sports sectors, generating over one million yuan (about 137,526 U.S. dollars) in total spending.
"Through the ticket purchase app for the Shanghai Auto Show, we involved some other tourism and cultural events so that people could visit the auto show while making trips to other renowned tourist attractions in Shanghai for leisure," said Gu Chunting, vice chairman of the Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai.
As the Shanghai Auto Show wrapped up, the Suzhou International Auto Show opened on Thursday, taking over the spotlight. Covering a floor space of over 100,000 square meters, the event in east China's Jiangsu Province gathered more than 100 global automotive brands and over 1,000 popular vehicle models. Coupled with various favorable policy subsidies, the show has fully unleashed the five-day holiday consumption potential.
"The state's trade-in subsidy, Suzhou's new energy vehicle subsidy, and various car purchase incentives, plus exclusive promotional policies offered by major automakers for the five-day auto show, have combined to create an optimal opportunity of the year for consumers to acquire a vehicle," said Peng Jianming, an event organizer.
Over 80 cities across the country have held nearly 100 auto shows on various scales during the May Day holiday this year.
At these auto shows, intelligent and new energy vehicles (NEVs) have become top-selling products. Data reported that NEVs at many auto shows account for more than 60 percent of the transactions, reflecting the greater popularity of green consumption concept.
Auto shows drive up holiday consumption
Auto shows drive up holiday consumption
Auto shows drive up holiday consumption
Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday China is willing to work with Lesotho to strengthen exchanges on governance experience, enhance coordination in multilateral affairs, and advance the China-Lesotho strategic partnership.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Lesotho Prime Minister Sam Matekane in the capital of Lesotho.
During the meeting, Wang congratulated Lesotho on the 60th anniversary of its independence this year, and spoke highly of Lesotho government's efforts to prioritize economic development and steer the African country onto a path of sustainable growth. Since the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2024, the two sides have advanced cooperation under the 10 partnership action plans unveiled at the summit, successfully implementing a number of key projects to effectively promote Lesotho's development and revitalization, Wang said.
China stands ready to work with Lesotho to strengthen exchanges on governance experience, enhance coordination in multilateral affairs, and push for greater development of the China-Lesotho strategic partnership, he added.
Calling on the two sides to firmly support each other, Wang said that China will accelerate the implementation of its zero-tariff policy for African countries, including Lesotho, expand bilateral trade, investment and industrial cooperation, facilitate broader access of Lesotho's specialty products to the Chinese market, and continue to support Lesotho's national development.
China will continue to stand firmly with African countries, uphold justice for the Global South, including Lesotho, oppose unilateralism and acts of bullying, and work together to build a community with a shared future for humanity, Wang said.
On his part, Matekane said during the meeting that Lesotho cherishes its friendship with China and the strategic partnership between the two countries, and expressed gratitude for China's valuable support for the development of African countries, including Lesotho.
Lesotho firmly adheres to the one-China principle and resolutely supports China in safeguarding its core interests, he said, noting that his country stands ready to strengthen strategic mutual trust with China, expand people-to-people exchanges, jointly implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and deepen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, manufacturing and energy.
Matekane stressed that China's zero-tariff policy for African products will inject new impetus into Lesotho's development. He also expressed Lesotho's willingness to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with China on multilateral platforms such as BRICS to jointly address global challenges.
On the same day, Wang also held talks with Lejone Mpotjoana, minister of foreign affairs and international relations of Lesotho.
China, Lesotho to strengthen exchanges, advance cooperation
China, Lesotho to strengthen exchanges, advance cooperation
