China warmly welcomes foreign friends to come to experience the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 17 this year, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a regular briefing in Beijing on Friday.
Lin commented on the surge in global interest in Chinese daily life as videos showing Chinese lifestyle practices have recently gone viral in various social media worldwide, and "Becoming Chinese" has been a buzzword online.
During UK Prime Minister Starmer's visit to China last month, some foreign journalists in China said that China is a livable country and living here is safe and convenient.
Lin noted with pleasure the growing willingness of foreigners to experience China's development and the everyday rhythms of its people.
"In the eyes of many foreign friends, to experience and learn about China has been much more than traditional symbols, such as the Great Wall, kung fu, pandas, and the Chinese cuisine. Here in China, they enjoy the ease of travel with just one cellphone and have a taste of Chinese lifestyle with a sense of inner fulfillment. They marvel at high-speed railways, 5G, and large-scale infrastructure and uncover the charm of off-the-beaten-path cities. They experience cutting-edge and fun technologies and immerse themselves in intangible cultural heritage," Lin said.
"As history and tradition embrace modernity and fashion, China offers a unique and fresh experience and becomes a stronger magnet to foreign tourists. People around the world increasingly hold favorable opinions on China. Statistics show that in 2025, the number of inbound and outbound travels by foreign nationals surpassed 82 million, up by 26.4 percent year on year, and the visa-free entries rose by nearly 50 percent year on year," he said.
"The Spring Festival is an iconic symbol of the Chinese culture. With the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse approaching, in recent two weeks, the number of inbound flight bookings for the festive period more than quintupled year-on-year. We warmly welcome foreign friends to come to China for the Spring Festival to experience the country's joy and hospitality," said the spokesman.
China welcomes foreign friends to come to experience Spring Festival: spokesman
