China sees surge in non-cash transaction volume during May Day holiday

China's card payment giant UnionPay and online payment-clearing house NetsUnion Clearing Corporation processed nearly 28.94 billion transactions during the five-day May Day holiday, a year-on-year growth of 23.45 percent, according to central bank data released on Wednesday.

During the holiday season running from May 1 to 5, the two non-cash payment platforms combined a total value of 7.85 trillion yuan (1.14 trillion U.S. dollars) in transactions, which grew 2.74 percent over the same period of last year.

Payment transactions and value from overseas visitors during the holiday significantly increased over the corresponding period of last year, up 45.15 percent and 36.96 percent, respectively.

The growth in payments by individuals from overseas aligned with a big increase in visa-free arrivals. Official data showed that trips by foreign nationals to and from China rose to 1.26 million during the holiday, a 12.5 percent increase over a year earlier. Among those entering China, 436,000 came visa-free, up 14.7 percent year on year.

China sees surge in non-cash transaction volume during May Day holiday

Footage of giant pandas filmed recently at the Dujiangyan base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in southwest China's Sichuan Province captures them enjoying their meal in tranquil, harmonious scenes.

In the first two clips, male panda Xin Qiao, and in the third, male panda Mao Mao, are seen munching on bamboo with calm, relaxed postures, creating a soothing atmosphere.

Xin Qiao, born in August 2024 at the Shenshuping base of the Wolong National Nature Reserve to mother Mei Mei, shares the spotlight with Mao Mao, who was born in August 2021 at the same reserve to mother Shui Xiu.

The CCRCGP has built the world's largest captive population of pandas and pioneered rewilding research through captive breeding and training. It also runs a global cooperation platform that links 18 zoos in 16 countries and regions with 39 domestic breeding institutions and more than 10 research institutes.

Footage captures giant pandas’ peaceful mealtime in Sichuan