Beijing sees inbound travel up 35.3 percent in Jan-May

Beijing saw 2.667 million inbound tourist visits in the first five months of 2026, marking a 35.3 year-on-year surge, the latest official data from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism showed.

In the first five months, the Chinese capital recorded 3.64 billion U.S. dollars in total inbound tourist spending, representing a 42.4-percent increase over the same period of last year, the bureau said.

This rapid growth in international travel is largely driven by China's expanding visa-free policies, which allows over 70 percent of foreign visitors to enter China hassle-free for tourism, business and family visits.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the country's military not to carry out new airstrikes on Iran on Friday, breaking a streak of attacks that had continued for 13 consecutive days, Axios reported Saturday.

Citing two people familiar with the matter, the media report said that over the past two weeks Trump had approved military strike plans nearly every afternoon, with operations typically executed within hours. On Friday, however, Trump did not sign off on a similar plan and instead directed the military to stand down.

Axios said the pause signaled Trump's willingness to create more space for diplomatic efforts, while reflecting an assessment that the current level of airstrikes may have limited additional impact unless the U.S. escalates its campaign against Iran to a broader level.

The media report added that the U.S. military is still preparing plans for a possible return to large-scale operations, but that Trump has not made a decision.

Axios also reported that just hours before Trump ordered the pause on Friday, an Omani delegation arrived in Iran to discuss new arrangements for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to two regional sources, Axios noted, these negotiations have already made progress, and an agreement between Oman and Iran could potentially be reached over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Trump has signaled that the United States' next steps could hinge on whether the ongoing behind-the-scenes negotiations with Iran could revive diplomatic efforts and bring an end to the war.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, he said the United States and Iran are in talks and that he believes Tehran is getting "more serious." However, he also warned that U.S. forces could intensify military action if necessary.