China is ready to work with Germany to promote the sustained, sound and steady development of bilateral relations, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
Guo made the remarks in response to a media query about German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul's visit to China from Dec 8 to 9.
"China and Germany are comprehensive strategic partners. Over the past 53 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Germany relations have maintained a sound momentum of development and delivered tangibly for the two countries and two peoples. In May this year, President Xi Jinping had a phone call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, charting the course for the bilateral ties. Given the volatile and turbulent international landscape, to consolidate and develop the relations between China and Germany, two major countries and key economies in the world, not only serves their own interests but also promotes world peace and prosperity," said Guo.
"This is German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul's first visit to China since he took office. Foreign ministers of the two countries will have in-depth communication on China-Germany and China-EU relations as well as international and regional hotspot issues of mutual interest. China always views its relations with Germany from a strategic height and long-term perspective. We stand ready to work with Germany to implement the important common understandings reached between leaders of the two countries, step up strategic communication, enhance understanding and mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of China-Germany relations," he said.
China to promote sustained, sound, steady development of relations with Germany: spokesman
Winter travel bookings in China have gained a boost this year after several regions announced an additional "snow holiday" for students and many workers in the hopes of further fueling the season's tourism boom and encouraging residents to take up winter sports.
The snow holiday is taking place in cities including Urumqi and Altay in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as well as across Jilin Province and other regions, offering residents another break during the winter season on top of the usual winter vacation that Chinese students enjoy.
As a result, flight bookings have seen a substantial increase. Data from online travel booking platforms indicate notable spikes in ticket reservations from both Urumqi and Altay from Nov 29 to Dec 7.
Flight bookings departing from Urumqi increased by 45 percent compared to the period from Nov 15 to 23, while bookings departing from Altay increased by 48 percent.
"During the snow holiday, total ticket bookings for scenic spots in Xinjiang increased by 16 percent compared to the previous period, with the most popular attractions including Sayram Lake, Hemu Scenic Area, and Kanas Scenic Area. Meanwhile, Jilin Province implemented a free skiing policy for university students. Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang are also gradually increasing their discounts. Driven by these policies, tourism in many cities in northeast China and Xinjiang has continued to rise this year, and winter tourism destinations have become more diverse," said Shi Ke, a researcher at the big data research institute of Qunar.com, a leading Chinese travel booking platform.
In addition to ski resorts, glacier and snow mountain scenic spots have also become trending destinations for winter tourism. Ticket bookings for famous attractions have doubled year on year.
Hotel reservations at popular ice and snow tourism destinations are also booming. From November this year to the end of January of 2026, hotel bookings in Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang surged by over 80 percent year on year, while cities like Dandong in Liaoning, Liaoyuan in Jilin, and Yichun in Heilongjiang have also seen significant increases, with growth rates reaching 30 percent year on year.
New 'snow holiday' in northern Chinese regions boosts winter travel
