Nighttime economy fuels cultural, tourism consumption in county of Hebei

Xinglong County in north China's Hebei Province has been boosting its nighttime economy with various leisure scenarios to unlock the local cultural and tourism consumption potential, attracting growing numbers of domestic and international visitors.

Among the recreational activities in Xinglong's Qingsongling water town, taking a night cruise aboard a traditional wooden boat is the most popular one. Enjoying the nighttime breeze on boats that shuttle on waterways flanked by pavilions and other traditional-style houses, tourists are able to experience the unique local charm -- a blend of northern water towns with scenes typically found in their peers in southern China.

"It feels just like taking a cruise in southern China. It's truly beautiful and a perfect place to relax during the days off," said Li Minghang, a tourist from Tianjin.

Beyond its scenic waterways, the town's vibrant folk performances add cultural depth to the nighttime experience. Visitors can watch and participate in a variety of traditional shows and interactive activities, including the shadow play.

"It's a good way of interacting. People can understand without language. Even if you don't understand Chinese, you get an idea about the show. It's beautiful and I love traditions, old story. And you get to experience the fantastic old ancient Chinese history," said Steen, a tourist from Denmark.

The mix of dynamic performances and tranquil sightseeing has helped the town attract more and more visitors, fueling growth in dining, accommodation and cultural creative products.

Since the May Day holiday, running from May 1 to 5, Qingsongling water town has received an average of around 7,000 visitors each weekend. With the summer travel season approaching in July and August, weekend attendance is expected to reach as many as 15,000 visitors.

Nighttime economy fuels cultural, tourism consumption in county of Hebei

The newly-established World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) marks a major milestone in AI development and a significant step toward global AI governance, international delegates said on Friday.

Twenty-nine countries on Thursday signed an agreement in Shanghai on establishing WAICO, an independent intergovernmental international organization headquartered in Shanghai.

The organization aims to promote international cooperation and global governance on AI, ensuring that AI is beneficial, safe and fair, thereby promoting its healthy and orderly development to benefit all humanity.

"I think this organization reinforces the need for multilateral cooperation. So you have 29 countries that have come together. I think yesterday's developments underline the importance of the capacity-building that countries around the world are facing an AI divide. There are some countries that do not have the talent, the datasets, the computer infrastructure, the access to the right models, and therefore efforts such as these can help bridge the AI divide," said UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies Amandeep Singh Gill.

Alaa Abdulaal, chief of Digital Economy Intelligence at the Digital Cooperation Organization, also hailed the launch, saying that cooperation is vital to ensure that no country is structurally excluded from the evolving digital landscape.

"Any initiative that is targeted for opening dialogues and innovation and conversation between countries to make sure that everyone is participating in the digital economy is a huge milestone. Whenever we have cooperation, whenever we have different countries, different representation, making sure that no one is left outside AI, it is a huge achievement, definitely," said Abdulaal.

World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization marks milestone in AI development: int'l delegates