Foreign tourists flock to China for culture, scenic allure amid holiday visa boost

China’s upgraded visa policies are fueling a surge in foreign tourism during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, with international visitors flocking to cities such as Chongqing in southwest China to experience the country’s cultural richness and scenic allure.

Chongqing has emerged as a popular stop for overseas travelers in recent years due to its unique blend of culture, wallet-friendly consumption prices, and scenic charm.

Thanks to China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, overseas travelers are seizing the opportunity to explore the city.

"We're actually really excited here because Chongqing isn't well heard of yet in the Philippines,” said Mikhaela Angelika, a tourist from the Philippines.

"This is my first time in Chongqing, and I’m very impressed. I'll definitely invite more people to visit. Chongqing is a modern city full of potential, with stunning scenery and rich culture," said Soldatova Marina, a Russian tourist.

Other than Chongqing, cities all around China are attracting foreign tourists with distinctive tourist attractions and beautiful natural scenery.

"In Singapore, you don't see this kind of place. So you come here and it's really very different, really very nice to see: the fall, the mountain, the mysticism. This is the one that [gives me] a very good feeling," said a Singaporean tourist visiting Shennongjia National Park in central China's Hubei Province, known as one of China's major biodiversity centers.

Foreign tourists also praised China’s advanced transportation network, including high-speed rail, air travel, and water routes for improving accessibility.

"It's very easy to get here. We had very comfortable (experience on) the train. I took many, many trains around from Shanghai to Beijing. The train is very, very nice," Naranjo Velduque Domingo, a Spanish tourist, said at the Mohan Railway port in southwest China's Yunnan Province, after crossing the China-Laos border through railway.

This year, China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday runs from Oct 1 to 8.

Foreign tourists flock to China for culture, scenic allure amid holiday visa boost

Preparations for the launch of China's Shenzhou-22 spacecraft are in full swing as it will be launched at an appropriate time to send food supplies and equipment to the Chinese space station, according to an official from the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Friday.

Zhou Yaqiang, the CMSA official, said the preparatory work includes spacecraft and rocket tests and cargo preparation. "The mission for launching the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft has been initiated, with preparations for all systems in full swing, including testing the spacecraft and rocket components and preparing the cargo. The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft is sure to carry supplies. The spacecraft's cargo-carrying capacity is a highly valuable resource for the manned space program, so we will make full use of every opportunity. The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft will mainly deliver food supplies for the astronauts and some equipment for the space station," Zhou said.

On Nov 1, the Shenzhou-21 manned spaceship sent a crew of three astronauts to the Chinese space station to succeed the three-member Shenzhou-20 crew and stay in orbit for around six months.

However, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, which was originally scheduled to take the Shenzhou-20 crew of three astronauts back to the Earth on Nov 5, experienced a suspected impact from space debris before the task, resulting in it not meeting the requirements for a safe return, according to the CMSA.

The agency therefore adopted an alternative plan, taking the three Shenzhou-20 astronauts back to the Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 ship on Friday. This marked the first successful implementation of an alternative return procedure in the country's space station program history.

Preparations for Shenzhou-22 mission in full swing: CMSA official