Southwestern China's metropolis Chongqing is emerging as a go-to stop for overseas travelers, due to its unique blend of culture, wallet-friendly prices, and scenic charm that draw visitors from around the world.
Thanks to China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, overseas travelers are seizing the opportunity to explore the city.
"So whilst I'm going home to the UK, it's the perfect opportunity to stop off in China on the way, and just explore Chongqing for a couple of days. I think it's a great policy. It's a good opportunity, especially how quick it is," said a British tourist.
As China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, running from Oct 1 to 8, is going on, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has geared up for an influx of travelers from home and abroad, with over 400 international flights and 55,000 passengers expected, up 35 percent from last year.
Beyond the visa-free entry policy, Chongqing's natural beauty and vibrant tourism offerings are proving irresistible. The tickets to a Yangtze River cruise has become the hottest during the break, with holiday sailings 90 percent booked and suites sold out weeks ahead of the holiday.
"This is my second time. I visit the Yangtze River from Yichang to Chongqing. I like very much the service on the boat. We are group from Bulgaria, 36 people. All of our people are very happy," said a Bulgarian tourist.
"This is my first time in China, and I find it very fascinating. It's a beautiful, beautiful country, and the people are very hospitable, happy to see us here," said an American tourist.
Chongqing's hotpot has also allured international food-loving travelers. Last week, Dadukou District hosted the China (Chongqing) Hotpot Festival, featuring a 1.2-kilometer riverside table that can serve 10,000 diners.
"We love the food, love the transport, love the people. Everything is really nice," said a Romanian tourist.
Chongqing draws global travelers with visa-free policy, local features
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China signals a policy shift towards building a more pragmatic relationship between the two countries, according to a Canadian researcher.
Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin an official visit to China through Saturday, which marks the first trip by a Canadian Prime Minister to the country in eight years.
Robert Hanlon, director and principal investigator of Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project (CAPPP) at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that Carney's visit indicates Canada is recalibrating its strategic perception of China, which could cement the foundation for the country's economic diversification efforts and boost the development of bilateral cooperation.
"I think it's a clear message that he has moved Canada's strategy to a much more pragmatic, interest-based, -focused relationship with our trading partners, moving away from values-based narratives that we might have heard on previous governments. Canada has spoken about moving from what the Prime Minister's Office is calling "from reliance to resilience", and that means diversifying our economies and our trade everywhere in the world. And so China being our second largest trading partner, it makes perfect sense for our PM to head to Beijing," he said.
The scholar also noted the huge cooperation potential between the two sides in economic and trade fields, citing Canada's efforts to step up shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the planned construction of an oil pipeline in Alberta which aims to increase export access to Asian markets. "Canada and China both share tremendous economic opportunities together and so finding ways to enhance our exports. Canada specifically looking to build out its LNG and oil, kind of export market. We know Canada is a major producer of critical minerals and China is a buyer. And so there's a lot of synergy between that kind of those kind of markets," he said.
Canadian PM's visit to China paves way for more pragmatic trade ties: scholar
