International tourists are pouring into southwest China's Chongqing to shoot motorbiking videos, a growing social media craze that has turned the country's neon-lit "cyberpunk" mountain city into a magnet for visitors chasing the perfect shot from the back of a gleaming superbike.
As night falls, tourists line up along the city's riverside Nanbin Road to rent heavy superbikes, team up with local riders and professional videographers, and star in personalized videos cruising past the iconic locations which illuminate Chongqing's night skyline.
"We arrived just earlier this morning. This is the first thing we are doing. We haven't eaten; we haven't gone out for a drink. The first thing on our list is to do the motorbike trend," said Shirley Bekker, a British tourist.
"It's my first time in China, so I thought I want to do everything I can. And it just looks like a great activity. So, yeah, I just did it," said German tourist Fynn Luhr.
Before the engine roars, each tourist receives a quick safety briefing from their designated rider, who also demonstrates how to strike the perfect pose while the bike is in motion, leaving language barriers as the least of their worries once the ride begins.
"I honestly feel exhilarated. I was scared to do it, but I'm really glad I did. And I'm really excited to see how it turns out," said Cailie Clark-West, a Canadian tourist
"It was really nice. It's such an experience. I just saw it on Instagram. Now I think I enjoyed it a lot, all the process," said Paula Paz, a tourist from Spain.
The popular trend taps into the history of Chongqing's motorbiking roots, with the metropolis of roughly roughly 32 million people having been a major center for China's two-wheeler production for decades.
What began last year as local riders filming each other for fun has since exploded into a full-blown phenomenon, fueled by a spike in tourism to the mountain city. The growing online reach of these videos shoots has helped cement Chongqing's new identity as the country's "biker capital."
Ji Xiaoyu, a Chongqing native, was among the first local riders to turn the craze into a business, reaching out to international enthusiasts through social media and building it into a thriving operation alongside a handful of fellow bikers
"There are currently three riders on our team. From last September till now, we've served no fewer than 700 or 800 tourists, probably close to 1,000, actually," Ji said.
Ji said safety remains the top priority, with traffic police deployed to monitor the streets every night.
"We wait for the traffic light, and only proceed when the road behind us is clear of traffic. During the shooting process, there is very little traffic following us. The videos are all sped up for effect. Our actual riding speed is only around 20 to 30 kilometers per hour," he said.
Luhr said his rider walked him through everything he needed to know before hitting the road.
"I think it was pretty safe. If I had some questions, I could ask him. We use the translator if I had some deeper questions. The staff was amazing, and they made me feel secure all the way," he said.
As Chongqing welcomes more international travelers, local riders like Ji say they will keep revving up their services, hoping more visitors can see the city from a different perspective, one filled with dazzling lights, speed, and excitement.
Int'l tourists race to Chongqing as viral cyberpunk motorbike trend revs up
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to effectively safeguard and improve people's livelihoods, so that the fruits of Chinese modernization benefit all people more fairly.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has made a series of major decisions and plans since the beginning of this year, with 2026 marking the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
So far this year, Xi has visited ordinary people's homes on numerous occasions during his inspection tours across the country, engaging in friendly exchanges with them and showing concern for their living conditions.
On July 15, Xi visited a residential community in Shanghai's Huangpu District, where four buildings originally built in the 1950s have been renovated and upgraded, significantly improving residents' living conditions.
He called for sustained efforts to address the public concerns step by step and to continuously improve people's well-being.
On June 24, President Xi made an inspection tour to the city of Dezhou in east China's Shandong Province.
At the home of villager Yu Xinhui, Xi sat down with the family and asked about their daily lives, including their jobs, income, the health of elderly family members, and the children's education.
On Feb 10, ahead of the 2026 Spring Festival, Xi visited an elderly care service community in Beijing's Xicheng District.
Xi said caring for and supporting the elderly is a shared responsibility of the whole society, urging efforts to create better conditions for the elderly to enjoy happy and fulfilling twilight years.
Xi also laid great emphasis to employment. During the visit to Beijing's Xicheng District, Xi also talked with three delivery workers who were taking a break in the canteen, asking about their work and life.
Among the 20 major indicators set in the 15th Five-Year Plan, those related to people's livelihood and well-being account for the highest proportion, covering the most pressing and realistic issues that the people care about, such as employment, income, education, health, elderly care, and childcare.
On March 23, during his inspection tour of the Xiong'an New Area in northern China's Hebei Province, Xi visited Beijing No. 4 High School at its Xiong'an campus, where he encouraged the students to stay motivated and grow alongside the development of the Xiong'an New Area and Chinese modernization.
Xi also emphasized the importance of facilitating the channels for realizing the value of ecological products and advancing urban and rural greening in a coordinated manner.
On March 30, Xi took part in a voluntary tree-planting activity in Beijing's Changping District, where he called for mobilizing the whole society to actively participate in afforestation, stressing that a sound ecological environment is shared by all and requires the joint efforts of all.
People’s health is a key indicator of socialist modernization. During China's annual "two sessions" this year, Xi emphasized that building a Healthy China requires adhering to the national conditions, unswervingly following the path of health and wellness development with Chinese characteristics, and resolutely implementing the health and wellness work guidelines for the new era.
China's annual "two sessions" convene the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's highest legislative and advisory organs.
In April, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held a group study session on enhancing the capacity to prevent and respond to natural disasters.
So far this year, Xi has repeatedly emphasized the need to earnestly carry out all aspects of disaster prevention and relief work to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.
In the first half of this year, China's employment situation remained generally stable, residents' income grew steadily, rural revitalization was steadily promoted, the coverage of basic public services continued to expand, and people's livelihood was effectively guaranteed.
Xi calls for efforts to safeguard, improve people's livelihoods
