China's transportation network is bracing for a nationwide surge in return traffic on Saturday, the last day of the New Year holiday.
The total number of cross-regional passenger trips across the country on Friday was expected to exceed 180 million, representing a year-on-year growth of 13.4 percent, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.
The national railways handled more than 12.21 million passenger trips on Friday, the third day of the holiday travel rush running from Dec 31, 2025 to Jan 4, 2026.
As travelers begin to return from holiday destinations, the railway system is estimated to welcome 17.45 million passenger trips on Saturday, according to China State Railway Group.
Railway authorities have scheduled 1,343 additional pairs of passenger trains across the country to accommodate the increased travel demand.
Meanwhile, it was estimated that China's civil aviation sector handled 1.85 million passenger trips on Friday.
Notably, south China's Hainan Province has witnessed a peak in entry and exit across airport ports during the New Year holiday, the first public holiday after the province officially launched island-wide special customs operations on Dec 18 last year. The total number of cross-border passenger trips during the holiday is expected to reach 33,500.
Road traffic in China is equally busy, primarily consisting of short and medium-distance self-driving trips, including visits to relatives and friends as well as short-distance travels.
The national road network recorded more than 170 million trips on Friday, a year-on-year increase of 13 percent, according to the Ministry of Transport.
The ministry's Highway Monitoring and Response Center said that Friday logged a traffic volume of 32.6 million vehicles, an 11 percent year-on-year increase.
China sees return travel rush as Near Year holiday comes to end
Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, directors of the film Project Hail Mary, said their science fiction movie aims to showcase the heartwarming power of understanding and acceptance.
The film was released worldwide last Friday, grossing more than 140 million U.S. dollars in its opening weekend.
Not only has the film performed strongly at the box office, but it has also pushed the boundaries of science fiction with its heartwarming touch.
In the film, as the protagonist's only companion in the cosmos, Rocky's exterior is composed of irregular rocks, yet his personality is lively and endearing.
In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) via video link, Miller and Lord said that to visualize this unique alien creature, they turned to the natural world for inspiration.
"We looked at lots of like minerals and like chrysoprase rough, which is a gemstone. And we loved the way that like there were veins of like pretty gemstones amongst more regular sandstone and rock," said Lord.
In addition to its exterior design, Rocky's body language is equally distinctive.
"The way that he moves is sometimes animal-like and sometimes it's like a cat or a dog, but also sometimes he's like a person. And then he also has ways of moving that are from his own alien culture that were invented by us and James Ortiz, the lead puppeteer who portrayed rocky," said Miller.
When two vastly different beings meet in space, their differences do not create a barrier; instead, they bring them closer together. With its imaginative sci-fi premise, the film tells the story of a friendship that transcends species.
"That's something that we can take with us in the world, as we come across people who are different from us and find common ground and make accommodations for each other and try and see the world through their eyes, and then pretty much anything is possible," said Miller.
U.S. science fiction movie tells story of heartwarming power
