Chinese cinemas are boosting the holiday economy through various marketing and promotion campaigns during the Spring Festival movie season.
The nine-day holiday, the longest Spring Festival movie season in history, has delivered a vibrant screening feast of comedies, action films, animations, and sci-fi productions to audiences nationwide.
As of Saturday, the 2026 Spring Festival box office has exceeded 4 billion yuan (about 580 million in U.S. dollars).
The movie season's contribution to the holiday consumption goes beyond cinemas. In many cities, a ticket stub also means extra discounts for dining, shopping, and other leisure activities. Shopping malls have launched holiday promotions, offering moviegoers additional value for their spending.
In a countryside scenic area of east China's Zhejiang Province, tourists presenting movie ticket stubs can enjoy 50 percent off admission fees and cable car rides, while hotel guests could deduct the cost of two movie tickets from their accommodation bill.
"I love traveling and watching movies in my spare time, but I didn't expect this ticket stub could unlock so many benefits for transportation and hotels. I find it incredibly convenient," said Wu, a tourist.
Film locations have also emerged as unexpected travel magnets. Shenzhen's Gangxia North metro station, a core filming location for the crime thriller Silent Battle, draws crowds with its futuristic architectural design. Action-adventure Blades of the Guardians, set in Xinjiang's vast deserts, sparks many moviegoers' interests to see the sceneries with their own eyes.
"I know this film was shot on location in Xinjiang, and I could truly feel the magnificent beauty of our country's landscapes—so awe-inspiring and spectacular. I hope to have the opportunity to visit Xinjiang this year," said Liang Chibiao, a moviegoer in Macao.
Spring Festival movie season fuels holiday consumption in China
Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh met with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, in Ulan Bator on Saturday.
During the meeting, Khurelsukh said the Mongolia-China relationship has become a model for inter-state relations in the region.
The two countries have consistently respected each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while deepening mutually beneficial cooperation across various sectors, he said, noting that bilateral trade is expected to reach 20 billion U.S. dollars this year.
Describing China as Mongolia's good neighbor, Khurelsukh said that developing friendly relations with China is a top priority of Mongolia's foreign policy.
Khurelsukh said Mongolia is committed to the one-China principle, regarding Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory, and opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" activities. It also considers matters related to Hong Kong, Xizang and Xinjiang as China's internal affairs. Mongolia will not do anything that harms China's interests, regardless of its relations with other countries.
He also noted that Mongolia is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in regional and international affairs.
For his part, Wang said China has always put China-Mongolia relations at an important place in its neighborhood diplomacy, noting that China has both the will and the capability to be a neighbor that Mongolia can rely on, a trustworthy friend, and a partner in accelerating its development.
Wang reaffirmed China's respect for Mongolia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the development path that Mongolia has chosen for itself.
He expressed readiness to work more closely with Mongolia to align development strategies, tap into the full potential of bilateral cooperation, advance existing collaboration in areas such as connectivity, energy and mineral resources, trade and investment, and create new growth drivers for cooperation in key minerals, green development, the digital economy, and other emerging fields.
During his three-day visit, Wang is also scheduled to meet with Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral and hold talks with Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg.
Mongolian president meets Chinese FM
Mongolian president meets Chinese FM
