China's retail sector recorded robust growth during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, with average daily sales of key large retail enterprises surging 24 percent year-on-year, showed the latest data from the China General Chamber of Commerce. The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, fell on Feb. 17 this year, with the nine-day official holiday starting on Feb. 15. This year's travel rush began on Feb. 2 and will continue until March 13.
During the Spring Festival holiday, the average daily retail sales of gold, silver and jewelry products climbed 33.4 percent year on year, with major first-tier cities experiencing a significant surge in demand for these high-value items as consumers flocked to malls during the festive break.
The demand for festive gatherings and family reunions also drove a substantial increase in essential goods, with daily sales of food products rising by 23 percent compared to last year. Meanwhile, the apparel sector recorded a 17.3 percent increase in daily sales, fueled by the tradition of buying new clothes for the Chinese New Year and the needs of those traveling back to their hometowns. Within this category, sportswear emerged as a standout performer in the market.
In addition, the technology sector benefited a lot from supportive government measures. Driven by the trade-in policy, average daily sales of communication equipment maintained double-digit growth throughout the holiday period, signaling a continued release of consumption potential across the country.
China's key retail enterprises see 24 pct daily sales growth during Spring Festival holiday
China's key retail enterprises see 24 pct daily sales growth during Spring Festival holiday
China's key retail enterprises see 24 pct daily sales growth during Spring Festival holiday
Serbian officials and scholars expect that President Aleksandar Vucic's visit to China will further cement the ironclad friendship between the two countries and open up new avenues for cooperation.
At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Serbian President Vucic arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a state visit to China from May 24 to 28. During the visit, the two heads of state will exchange views on bilateral relations, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest.
As the first European country that has agreed to jointly build a community with a shared future for the new era with China, Serbia is an important partner for China in Southeast Europe. According to high-level Serbian officials, the partnership could expand even further.
"I think that the most important one, apart [from] the infrastructure, will be scientific cooperation and widening the existing cooperation in each field, from infrastructure to culture. Our anchored friendship could become a role model for everyone else," said Marina Ragus, deputy speaker of Serbia's National Assembly.
Bojan Lalic, director of the Belt and Road Institute in Belgrade, anticipates that actions following the two presidents' discussions can bring stability to Serbia's economic and industrial development.
"We expect President Vucic and President Xi to have fruitful discussions, but also some following steps that will bring stability to our economy, to our industry. I truly believe that when speaking about the future, we are speaking about young people, (which) means education, research, science -- those are fields that I believe are fundamental for our exchange, for our future cooperation, and for our win-win achievements and success," said Lalic.
Ljubodrag Savic, a professor at the Faculty of Economy of the University of Belgrade, highlighted the importance of growing trade between the two countries. Since the signing of a bilateral free trade agreement in 2023, exports from Serbia to China nearly doubled, from 1.2 billion U.S dollars the year the agreement was signed to 2 billion U.S. dollars in 2025.
"China treats all countries equally, regardless of their size or so-called importance, maintaining friendly relations with countries around the world. The free trade agreement signed between Serbia and China grants Serbia preferential treatment. Most Serbian products can be exported to China almost duty-free. China is a truly valuable friend to Serbia," said the professor.
Serbian experts predict fruitful outcomes from Vucic's visit to China
