Auto China 2026 wraps up after setting multiple new records

The 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China 2026, wrapped up on Sunday, shattering multiple global records as visitors voiced strong optimism about the future of China's auto industry.

The 10-day show, which opened on April 24 under the theme "Future of Intelligence," set a new global record for scale.

Spanning 380,000 square meters across two venues, it featured 1,451 vehicles on display -- including 181 premieres and 71 concept cars.

On attendance, this year's auto show attracted a total of 1.28 million visits, including approximately 65,000 made by overseas attendees.

New energy vehicles (NEVs) at the show caught attention of many international visitors.

Chinese automotive electronics firm AutoLink used the show to present a next-generation vehicle electronic and electrical architecture, and at BYD's fast-charging booth, a NEV charged from 20 to 97 percent in just 12 minutes.

In 2025, domestic production and sales of NEVs both exceeded 16 million units, with NEVs accounting for over 50 percent of new car sales on the domestic market.

"It's actually nice to see most electric cars here. We don't have so much electric cars in South Africa, where I come from. So it's actually amazing," said a visitor. This year's auto show also introduced car fans to new types of vehicles -- from minimalist leisure cars with ultra-simple cockpits and cyber-style rugged pickups to electric rotor-craft -- all of which expanded visitors' imagination of future mobility.

"I'm most excited about self-driving cars, as they can free us humans from driving, and I also look forward to seeing more cutting-edge technologies, like flying cars," said another visitor.

At this year's auto show, the global automotive industry shows more evident trend toward electrification and intelligent transformation.

Nearly 80 percent of the new models unveiled were NEVs, while Chinese independent brands accounted for 60 percent of the total.

According to an organizer of the exhibition, future editions will place greater emphasis on enhancing the event's international reach, and efforts will be also made to achieve comprehensive brand and value extension across the entire automotive industrial chain, including after-market sectors.

"We expect China's auto industry to achieve coordinated integration in both complete vehicles and high-end components during its expansion to overseas markets. Through platforms like the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, we expect to facilitate exchanges between domestic and international automotive technologies, brands, and cultures, helping Chinese automobiles reach global markets more effectively," said Wang Junqing, deputy director-general of the automotive sub-council of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Auto China 2026 wraps up after setting multiple new records

Auto China 2026 wraps up after setting multiple new records

Holiday cheer is building across China, with seasonal products driving a boom in the consumer market, as the Dragon Boat Festival and its holiday are approaching.

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. This year, the festival falls on June 19, with the three-day holiday running through June 21.

In Shanghai, many time-honored food brands have entered their peak sales season. Classic varieties of zongzi, the sticky rice dumplings, with fillings such as pork and red bean remain strong sellers. At the same time, many vendors in the city have also introduced innovative flavors to attract customers. New offerings such as black glutinous rice with red bean paste zongzi have proven particularly popular.

In major grocery stores across Lanzhou City, northwest China's Gansu Province, zongzi incorporating local specialty ingredients, such as lily bulbs and roses, have become top choices for shoppers.

Beyond festive foods, traditional customs are also driving seasonal demand. The Dragon Boat Festival is typically marked by the hanging of mugwort and calamus - a custom believed to ward off illness and evil spirits.

In Qidong City, east China's Jiangsu Province, mugwort farms have entered their busiest harvest period of the year, as they are producing more than 100,000 bundles daily for shipment to major supermarkets across the Yangtze River Delta region.

To the southwest of Qidong, Kunming City in Yunnan Province has seen a growing demand for festival-themed plants, such as calamus, fragrant wood and craspedia. The city's largest online fresh flower wholesale platform reported sales of 295,000 bundles of Dragon Boat Festival flowers so far this month, double the volume recorded during the same period last year.

In addition, local governments across China have also rolled out various service measures to ensure smooth operation of cultural and tourism markets during the holiday period.

East China's Fujian Province will offer more than 350 cultural and tourism activities and over 120 public welfare measures during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.

Multiple scenic spots in south China's Guangdong Province have activated holiday support mechanisms to extend store operating hours and optimize time-slot reservations to enhance visitor experience.

Up north, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, cultural and tourism consumption vouchers worth 15 million yuan (about 2.1 million U.S. dollars) have been issued for key sectors such as major scenic areas, hotels, homestays and cultural entertainment venues to further stimulate holiday spending.

Dragon Boat Festival spurs seasonal sales as festive atmosphere builds