About 296 million cross-regional passenger trips expected in China on first day of Qingming Festival holiday

About 296 million cross-regional passenger trips are expected in China on Saturday, the first day of the Qingming Festival holiday which runs from April 4 to 6, a 2.7-percent increase compared with the same period of last year, said the Ministry of Transport.

Railway authorities have increased transport capacity to ensure smooth travel for passengers, the ministry said.

China's railway system is expected to handle 21.9 million passenger trips on Saturday, with the transportation sector planning to operate an additional 1,173 passenger trains.

Railway authorities in cities such as Guangzhou and Nanchang have added night high-speed trains starting Saturday to meet travel demand for spring outings and tomb-sweeping activities.

Meanwhile, the country's highway network is expected to handle 64.5 million vehicle trips on the same day.

Also on Saturday, China's waterways are estimated to handle over 1.35 million passenger trips, representing a year-on-year increase of 11.7 percent.

The civil aviation sector is expected to welcome 1.92 million passengers on the same day, with major airlines having increased flights to ensure smooth travel for long-distance passengers.

The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on April 5 this year. It is a traditional Chinese festival for people to pay tribute to the dead and worship their ancestors. The holiday also provides a short break for people as they engage in outdoor activities and sightseeing.

Tokyo stocks ended mixed Monday as investors took profits in recently outperforming heavyweight technology shares, while falling crude oil prices eased inflation concerns.

The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average edged down 6.38 points, or 0.01 percent, to close at 69737.69 points.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, extended its gains to a sixth straight session, finishing up 37.36 points, or 0.92 percent, at a record close of 4,101.96.

The Nikkei spent most of the day in negative territory as investors locked in gains on heavyweight chip- and artificial intelligence-related stocks, although dip-buying briefly lifted the index into positive territory.

At the same time, the retreat in crude oil prices to levels seen before the Middle East conflict helped ease inflation concerns and support market sentiment, analysts said.