China is seeing a surge in inbound tourism during the ongoing National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, with increasing numbers of international travelers drawn to the country's unique blend of natural scenery and traditional culture.
This year, China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday runs from Oct 1 to 8. According to the National Immigration Administration (NIA), China is expected to record a daily average of 2 million border crossings during the holiday.
In southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Giant Buddha of Leshan, known as the world's largest stone Buddha statue, wow visitors from home and abroad.
Data from the scenic spot show that the number of foreign tourists has more than tripled compared with the same period in previous years.
"It's very beautiful, very big. We've seen it from the boat. It's amazing, and now we want to go to see it very closer," said a visitor from Italy.
In central China's Hunan Province, the famous glass bridge at the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon has virtually become a must-see for many international tourists.
"So we believe that the scenery is absolutely breathtaking, and the whole place here is just amazing. The views are great," said a visitor from Poland.
In the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an, some international visitors adorn themselves in traditional Chinese attire to enjoy the nighttime view of the ancient city.
Meanwhile, in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Yunnan Province, visitors from ASEAN countries are attracted to unique local folk culture.
"It is the first time for us to visit Xishuangbanna, and it is also the first time for us to learn about the ethnic Dai and Hani minority groups. Their cultures are very unique, and we want to explore more," said a visitor from Malaysia.
Experts said China's inbound tourism is gaining strong momentum thanks to a host of policy measures aimed at facilitating visas, payments and tax refund for overseas visitors.
Data from the NIA show that tourists from 76 other countries now enjoy unilateral or mutual visa-free entry, with transit exemptions expanded to 55 other countries. International travelers may now enter China through any of the 60 ports and stay for up to 240 hours.
China also optimized payments for international visitors and expanded departure tax refund measures. By the end of August, the number of tax refund stores catering to foreign visitors in China had exceeded 10,000.
According to NIA, China recorded 15.89 million visa-free entries by foreign nationals from January to August 2025, up 52.1 percent year on year.
"We are promoting a shift in inbound tourism from the general sightseeing to in-depth explorations, encouraging a shift from one-off visit to multiple-time traveling," said Liu Ting, public affairs manager of Trip.com, a Chinese travel platform.
China sees inbound tourism surge during National Day Holiday
Breaking long-standing Western heroic narrative conventions in filmmaking, the trending Chinese anti-war film "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East", is reshaping global cinematic discourse on war and peace.
The summer blockbuster was released on Tuesday nationwide and had earned box office revenue of more than 536 million yuan (around 79.5 million U.S. dollars) as of 22:00 Friday.
The story centers on Xu Fu, a down-on-his-luck Chinese chef portrayed by celebrated comedian Shen Teng, who travels to the Middle East to settle his debts. There, he joins forces with a local restaurant manager to operate a bustling restaurant, bringing authentic Chinese culinary traditions to a war-torn foreign land.
As a distinct Chinese anti-war feature, "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" abandons timeworn Western heroic storytelling. The film adopts the humble viewpoint of Xu Fu, an ordinary cook. Through his eyes as a neutral bystander, it portrays the struggles and sufferings of ordinary people trapped in conflict and uses food and everyday life to explore survival, compassion and the value of peace, rather than focusing on the battlefield.
Such a narrative perspective is quite pioneering among global anti-war film productions.
"It realistically reflects the turmoil of war. Therefore, we desire peace and oppose the suffering that wars of aggression inflict upon the people," a moviegoer praised.
Meanwhile, the blockbuster has garnered massive overseas anticipation prior to its international debut. Many global film enthusiasts agree that the production epitomizes a transformative shift in Chinese film industry, which is overhauling Hollywood's established narrative paradigms and reinterpreting the global narrative of war and peace at a higher level.
"Just imagine how this story would unfold if Hollywood were to film it. It would almost certainly follow the standard formula of superheroes, super-soldiers, or elite operatives swooping in, resolving the crisis in a flash, and then disappearing. What does the 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' offer? The idea that the best days are those spent sharing a meal together. Conversely, what drives people to fight instead of dining together? Anyone who has seen the film knows the answer. That is why some netizens have said that if this movie were to compete for a U.S. Oscar award, it would be a voice representing the Global South," said Zuo Heng, a researcher at the China Film Archive.
Many scholars also hold the view that war narratives on international screens have long revolved around contests of victory and military conquest, but "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" does not stoke hatred nor glorify victory by force. Instead, it hides the key to peace amid the mundane routines of daily meals.
This vision of peace, rooted in the moderation and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization, blazes a new trail of expression for global anti-war films.
It constitutes an innovation in film creation and enables the world to see perceptions of peace different from those of the West.
"The film delivers an anti-war perspective that diverges from the Hollywood paradigm. It abandons Hollywood-style individualism, and quietly challenges the 'America First' mindset. 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' keeps exploring innovative approaches to shape contemporary Chinese discourse and narrative systems," said Sun Jiashan, a researcher with the Department of Chinese Culture Education and Research under the Central Institute of Socialism.
Chinese anti-war film offers new cinematic narrative on war and peace
