China's immigration authorities inspected 20.844 million inbound and outbound vehicles in the first half of the year, up 17.1 percent from last year, the National Immigration Administration said at a press briefing on Friday.
The number included 490,000 aircraft, 56,000 trains, 229,000 ships, and 20.068 million motor vehicles, rising one percent, 5.7 percent, 4.6 percent, and 17.8 percent, respectively, said the administration.
During the same period, the administration issued 10.392 million ordinary passports and 49.585 million travel endorsements for mainland residents traveling to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) and Taiwan region. It also issued 1.104 million permits for residents of the HKSAR, the Macao SAR and Taiwan region to visit the mainland, and 991,000 visas or permits for foreign nationals.
China's immigration authorities inspect over 20.84 million cross-border vehicles in H1
China's immigration authorities inspect over 20.84 million cross-border vehicles in H1
The 2026 Qixi Festival Gala, produced by China Media Group (CMG), got underway at 20:00 Beijing Time on Wednesday, marking the annual celebration of one of China's oldest and most cherished traditional festivals.
The Qixi Festival, also referred to as the Chinese Valentine's Day, falls on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar. It dates back more than 2,000 years and was inscribed on China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.
The festival's enduring romantic association stems from the legends of the cowherd Niulang and the weaver girl Zhinyu, star-crossed lovers separated by the Milky Way who are permitted to meet only once a year when a flock of magpies forms a bridge across the heavens.
In ancient China, young women celebrate the festival by praying to Zhinyu for clever hands and domestic talents. Today, couples usually spend the day by exchanging gifts and many partners choose this auspicious date to register their marriages or hold collective traditional weddings.
This year's gala centered on the motif of a bridge, linking ancient myth with contemporary life.
A travelogue performance themed around the mythological bridge ran through the entire event, which featured songs, dances, traditional operas and ballet.
A highlight of the gala was a micro-film which explores shared Qixi customs between people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.
Among the evening's touching highlights was a short film featuring the enduring romance of 88-year-old Chinese radar technology expert Ben De, recipient of China's 2026 State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, and his wife. The award is the nation's highest honor for scientific and technological achievement.
This year's gala centered on co-creation, featuring segments with real couples from across the country to jointly celebrate the millennia-old traditions through contemporary expressions of love.
CMG airs special TV gala to celebrate China's 2,000-year-old love festival
