Taiwan residents have expressed the hope that the upcoming visit by Cheng Li-wun, chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) to the Chinese mainland will promote cross-Strait cooperation.
Cheng will lead a delegation to visit the Chinese mainland from April 7 to 12, with stops in Jiangsu Province, Shanghai and Beijing.
The visit is in line with the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan, Cheng said at a press conference in Taipei on March 30.
"I'd love to see it, because I think no one benefits from constant opposition. I think this issue can be further addressed. So actually, I agree," said a local resident
She also expressed the hope that economic and tourism cooperation between the two sides of the Strait can be enhanced in the future.
"I also really want to travel to the Chinese mainland. But none of us public servants can go, right? I think the scenery in the Chinese mainland is just as beautiful as that abroad. We would have one more option. We are of the same origin after all. Is there any need for us to be so opposed? I don't know why the opposition is so intense and there's always such criticism online. This is just my personal opinion, and I'm not speaking politically. But the current situation makes us feel that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. So why has it completely turned out like this? I think such rhetoric is really bad for swing voters like us. We still have to live our lives," she said.
Another local said that he hopes this visit will help promote Taiwan's tourism.
"It will be great if we got along well. So visiting the Chinese mainland is the best and that's how it should be," said a man.
"It must be helpful as people at the grassroots level are struggling. For example, the elderly man selling tea eggs at Sun Moon Lake has no business now. He is an ordinary person. Our politicians have messed things up. I can't figure out what exactly they are trying to do," the man added.
Taiwan residents expect KMT chairperson's visit to Chinese mainland to promote cross-Strait cooperation
Scenic spots across China have all seen surging tourist flow during the Qingming Festival holiday as people are going outdoors to enjoy good springtime.
Falling on April 5 this year, the Qingming Festival, or the Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival for honoring the deceased and paying tributes to ancestors. The three-day holiday from Saturday to Monday also provides a short break for Chinese citizens to enjoy outdoor activities and sightseeing in pleasant springtime temperatures.
At the Fenghuanggou scenic spot in Nanchang City, east China's Jiangxi Province, a vast field of hydrangeas bloom across the hillsides. The colorful hydrangeas spread out in well-arranged patchwork, making visitors feel as if they have stepped into a dreamlike world of flowers.
Tourists stroll among the blossoms, with some slowing down to quietly take in the scenery and others raising cameras to capture memories, relaxing both body and mind amidst the fragrance of flowers and the spring sunshine.
"Walking through a sea of flowers like this and seeing such beautiful blossoms make me feel the vitality of spring while completely escaping the hustle and bustle of the city," said Xu Geyu, a tourist.
Continuing on from the hydrangea sea, the scenic spot's cherry blossom is also in the best viewing period. Unlike ordinary cherry blossom groves, the cherry trees here are interplanted among tea bushes that stretch across the mountainsides, creating distinct layers and forming a unique landscape.
This year, the scenic spot has leveraged its sericulture and other specialty ecological industries to create new business models that integrate agriculture and tourism, providing a variety of mulberry-leaf-flavored snacks and drinks for tourists.
"We tried mulberry-flavored coffee and mulberry-leaf-flavored ice cream -- both were delicious. They are the flavors that we've never tasted before. I think they are quite special," said Ye Zitong, another tourist.
Meanwhile, the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in central China's Hunan Province has also welcomed a peak in visitors. With fine weather and wild mountain flowers in full bloom, the scenic spot has become a popular destination for flower viewing and mountaineering, brimming with the liveliness and vitality of spring.
In springtime, The Tianmen Mountain features layered peaks covered in a profusion of flowers. Pink-white and bright red blossoms dot the dramatic mountain ridges, creating a stunning spring landscape painting.
"I feel it's quite magnificent. It's even more magnificent and beautiful after I climbed 999 steps to the Tianmen Cave. It's also very cool there. I really love it," said Ai Sichen, another tourist.
According to the preliminary statistics from the scenic spot, on the first day of the Qingming Festival holiday, the park welcomed over 20,000 visitors.
Furthermore, at the Hukou Waterfall scenic spot on the Yellow River at the border of the northern province of Shanxi and the northwestern province of Shaanxi, the roaring Yellow River water plunges dramatically. Illuminated by sunlight, a rainbow appears spanning both banks, creating a magnificent spring scene that draws many tourists.
Scenic spots across China see surging tourist flow during Qingming Festival holiday
