China's transportation networks are handling growing travelers by train, air, and highway as the Year of the Horse draws close.
The country is expected to see a total of 15.35 million railway trips on Saturday, three days before the Spring Festival that falls on February 17 this year.
Railway authorities have increased transport capacity among popular tourist cities and collaborated with local tourist destinations to launch new services including luggage handling, storage, and transportation.
"We have set up self-service lockers for passengers, and simultaneously launched online reservation channels, bringing services directly to scenic spots. This allows passengers to travel light after getting off the train," said Wang Mengli, a staff member of Shangrao Station of China Railway Nanchang Group.
In terms of civil aviation, approximately 19,947 flights are expected to operate on Saturday, handling 2.45 million passenger trips, with a significant portion of family and group tours.
The southernmost island province of Hainan has also seen a peak in inbound arrivals. Officials of Sanya Phoenix International Airport said the airport has seen efficient and smooth passenger arrivals and departures with the new Terminal 3 coming into operation.
"The integrated operation of T1, T2, and T3 terminals has effectively improved passenger capacity and flight guarantee, ensuring efficient arrivals and departures for passengers," said Duan Jianfeng, vice president of the airport.
The national expressways are expected to handle 35.1 million vehicle trips on Saturday, with private car travels accounting for nearly 80 percent of the total.
The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, is China's most important annual holiday and sees hundreds of millions of people from across the country embark on the long journey home for all-important family reunions, putting much strain on the country's railway and road transportation networks.
The annual travel surge, known as "chunyun" and often described as the world's largest human migration, is expected to generate a record 9.5 billion inter-regional passenger trips during the 40-day period which is running from Feb 2 to March 13 this year.
Travelers remain growing before Chinese New Year
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he estimates a deal with Iran will be signed "in the next day or two."
Trump said in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 News that the United States and Iran will probably meet over the weekend to finalize a deal to end the war. "The Iranians want to meet and make a deal," he said.
He said "the naval blockade on Iran is helping to make a deal. I will not lift it until we make a deal," adding that "the biggest part of this deal is that it will make Israel safer. This deal is good for Israel."
According to the channel, one component of the deal under discussion is that the United States will release 20 billion U.S. dollars in frozen Iranian funds.
In exchange, Iran would give up its stockpile of enriched uranium, and would be only allowed to have nuclear research reactors to produce medical isotopes, all above ground.
Trump also stressed that Israel must stop the strikes on Lebanon, saying, "They can't keep blowing up buildings. I'm not going to allow that."
Also on Friday, Trump said in a phone interview with Bloomberg that a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is mostly complete as talks over a lasting peace deal will "probably" be held this weekend in Pakistan.
Trump said in the phone interview that Iran agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely, and will not receive any frozen funds from the United States.
"Most of the main points are finalized. It'll go pretty quickly," Trump said.
Asked if he would travel to Pakistan to sign the potential deal, Trump said: "I may."
Trump again denied that the moratorium on Iran's nuclear program would expire after 20 years. "No years, unlimited," Trump said.
The United States will get all of Iran's nuclear "dust" with no money having exchanged hands "in any way, shape, or form," Trump wrote on social media earlier on Friday. Multiple Western media outlets have interpreted Trump's reference to nuclear "dust" as meaning Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.
Iran has yet to comment on any deal beyond the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, nor on claims made by Trump that Tehran had offered concessions, including over the key issue of its nuclear program.
If the United States continues its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will consider it a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries and will close the waterway, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Friday, citing an informed source close to the Supreme National Security Council.
The Iranian side has yet to respond to the media report on the enriched uranium issue.
The United States and Iran had their first round of negotiations in Pakistan's Islamabad last weekend to ease tension in the Middle East. The talks, which failed to produce an agreement, took place after a ceasefire was announced on April 8 between Iran, the United States, and Israel, following 40 days of fighting.
Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on the country on Feb. 28. The United States also imposed a naval blockade on the strait following the failed negotiations in Islamabad.
Earlier on Friday, both Washington and Tehran confirmed that the strait had been completely open for all commercial vessels. However, Trump said on Truth Social that the U.S. naval blockade would "remain in full force." In response, Iran warned of closing the waterway again if the U.S. blockade continues.
Trump says may sign deal with Iran "in the next day or two": Israeli media
Trump claims peace deal with Iran mostly complete: report
