Cities across China have seen a prosperous nighttime economy during the current summer vacation season, with local authorities and enterprises launching diverse nighttime events to boost consumption.
In east China's Jiangsu Province, cities have initiated a series of new nighttime cultural and tourism activities. The Fantawild theme park in Huai'an City has debuted retro-style evening strolls and an upgraded summer fireworks display, with the maximum daily number of visits to the scenic spot topping 20,000, over half of which are attending in the evening.
Guiyang, the capital city of southwest China's Guizhou Province, has been receiving tourists from across China so far in the summer vacation season, with some coming to particularly appreciate its historic landmark Jiaxiu Tower, as well as local catering and night fairs. A nearby market named Qingyun reported 1.52 million visits to it in July, a sharp increase of 21 percent compared to the same period of last year.
"The nightlife here is so vibrant. Even at 10 or 11 p.m., many snack stalls are bustling. My travel experience here is also excellent," said a tourist named Geng Simin.
Chinese cities launch summer tourism campaigns to promote nighttime economy
A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday slammed Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te over his latest remarks on cross-Strait relations, accusing him of promoting secessionism and escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a press release that Lai's speech marking his second anniversary in office was "filled with lies and deception, hostility and confrontation."
Chen accused Lai of stubbornly adhering to a secessionist stance in pursuit of "Taiwan independence," while exaggerating the so-called threats from the mainland and intensifying confrontation across the Strait.
Lai played an old trick of advocating the secessionist agenda on one hand and, on the other, calling insincerely for dialogue and exchanges with the mainland, attempting to mislead people in Taiwan and deceive the international community, he said.
Chen said that these common tricks have been seen through by more and more Taiwanese people. Their deceptive and provocative actions will be met with firm opposition from compatriots on both sides and the international community, and are doomed to fail.
Reaffirming the mainland's position on the Taiwan question, Chen said Taiwan has never been a country, is not one now, and will never become one in the future.
He described the Taiwan question as a historical issue left over from a Chinese civil war in the 1940s.
No election result in Taiwan could alter the fact that Taiwan is part of China or sever the historical and legal bonds linking the two sides of the Strait, according to Chen.
The mainland would never allow any person or force to pursue secessionist activities under any pretext, he added.
Calling secessionists "the chief culprit" who undermines cross-Strait peace, Chen said the mainland would continue to uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, unite broadly with Taiwan compatriots, combat secessionist activities, and safeguard peace and stability across the Strait.
Central government spokesperson refutes Lai Ching-te's latest remarks, warns against secessionist moves
