Xiamen International Cruise Terminal in east China witnessed a bustling week of maritime activity, handling four international cruise voyages between Monday and Saturday, its data showed.
Over 15,000 passenger trips passed through the port during this period, with a single-day record of 8,000 passenger trips on Saturday, the highest since the full resumption of international cruise operations in 2023.
Among the arrivals was the Westerdam, the largest foreign-flagged cruise ship to anchor in Xiamen this year, carrying more international tourists than any other foreign cruise ship.
The surge aligns with China's recent expansion of its 240-hour visa-free transit program to additional ports, announced on Nov 3. The country also announced it would extend its unilateral visa-exemption arrangements for more than 40 countries to Dec 31, 2026, in the latest move to further open up to the world.
To streamline passenger entry, the terminal has implemented tailored clearance strategies, deploying 34 manual channels and 20 automated gates to expedite the processing. Additionally, a code-scanning system has been introduced to reduce the average clearance time to less than five seconds.
Thanks to its operational efficiency and supportive policies, Xiamen has attracted global cruise operators. Since January, the port has handled 36 cruise voyages and nearly 100,000 passenger trips, solidifying its role as a key hub in China's cruise industry.
Xiamen cruise terminal handles record single-day passenger trips
Hong Kong's first astronaut lifted off into space on Sunday, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for space exploration in the special administrative region, while inspiring a new generation to look to the stars.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 23:08 (Beijing Time) on Sunday. The crew members include Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut and payload specialist from Hong Kong to join a national space mission, whose achievements have motivated many Hong Kong residents.
"I feel so happy and thrilled. This is the first time a Hong Kong astronaut has gone to space, and to see a true Hong Konger, who is also a mother of three, just really touches my heart," said Chow, a local resident.
The successful spaceflight of Lai has especially captivated the younger generation to dream bigger about the future.
"I want to be an astronaut, because I want to discover more things about space," said a young student surnamed Chow.
"I have seen things related to spaceflights of astronauts. I hope when I grow up, I could receive training and go to space myself," said another student surnamed Koo.
To meet public expectations, the Hong Kong Space Museum has updated its space-themed exhibition with the latest development of the Shenzhou-23 mission, extending the display until July 6. Parents are seizing the moment to enrich their children's knowledge.
"At his age, I want him to be exposed to a wide range of information. With all the recent astronaut news, I brought him here specially to see for himself. We will also check out a film about space knowledge at the planetarium. I hope he can get more out of this from an early age," said Cheung, a father.
"We just watched the Shenzhou-23 launch at home with my son last night, and decided to take him to the Space Museum," a mother surnamed Chun shared.
"I saw on TV that so many people were cheering for the launch. When the rocket was launched, fire burst out from its body. I was really happy they succeeded," said Chun's son.
Hong Kong's first astronaut ignites citywide enthusiasm over space exploration
