This year's first tourist train linking Beijing with Lhasa, the capital of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, departed from the Beijing West Railway Station on Friday noon, taking more than 450 passengers on a 14-day round trip across the country.
More than 80 percent of the passengers on board Train T175 are senior tourists who have been driving a thriving silver tourism in China in recent years.
A senior woman said she looks forward to visiting the Potala Palace in Lhasa, a UNESCO World Heritage site symbolizing Tibetan Buddhism, which, together with many other popular tourist attractions in Xizang such as Norbulingka, the world's highest, largest, and best-preserved ancient artificial horticultural garden, draws millions of visitors from around the world every year.
"The place I particularly want to see is of course the Potala Palace, because I have longed to visit it since I was a child," she said before boarding the train.
The tourist train, equipped with elderly care devices and carrying a dedicated team of medical professionals, will pass through diverse landscapes on its route.
"Because there are many elderly passengers on board, we have also made full preparations in terms of medical services. The broadcasting cabin is equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and we are traveling with very experienced rescuers from the Red Cross Society of China. This is to ensure that we can deal with any sudden health condition during the journey," said Liu Jie, a train staff member.
Seniors ride 2025's first tourist train from Beijing to Xizang
China's science and technology sector made rapid progress in 2025, with the country's scientific and technological strength reaching a new level and a host of achievements emerging, said Yin Hejun, minister of science and technology on Thursday.
During a group interview at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing following the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), Yin offered an overview of China's sci-tech development and achievements in 2025.
"China's sci-tech sector has witnessed rapid development, with its scientific and technological strength ascending to new heights. The country has climbed to the 10th position in the global innovation ranking. China's gross domestic research and development spending in 2025 exceeded 3.92 trillion yuan (about 568 billion U.S. dollars), with the spending intensity reaching 2.8 percent. Basic research investment approached 280 billion yuan (about 41 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for 7.08 percent of the total -- topping 7 percent for the first time and hitting a historic high," said the minister.
Yin also highlighted the bounty of breakthroughs in China's sci-tech sector over the past year.
"A flourishing array of scientific and technological achievements has emerged. Humanoid robots dazzled audiences at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, evolving from performing Yangge folk dance and twirling handkerchiefs last year to turning somersaults and starring in comedy skits this year, showcasing a versatile repertoire of skills. China's open-source large language models now lead the world, and new breakthroughs have been made in chip research and development. Moreover, and innovative drugs have seen robust growth. A total of 76 innovative drugs were approved last year, with cross-border out-licensing deals exceeding 130 billion U.S. dollars. Technology has empowered industries across the board, significantly improving people's quality of life," he said.
The fourth session of the 14th NPC kicked off on Thursday and is set to conclude on March 12.
China's scientific and technological strength reaches a new level in 2025: minister
