Cities across China have adorned major landmarks with national flags and vibrant floral displays to usher in the National Day holiday, transforming capital thoroughfares, historic squares, and scenic spots into festive showcases.
China's National Day, observed on October 1, commemorates the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, with this year marking its 77th anniversary.
A total of 10 three-dimensional flower beds have been arranged along Chang'an Avenue, a major thoroughfare in Beijing that traditionally serves as the venue for national celebrations. Their themes range from revolutionary history and emerging industries to green development, urban renewal, and garden-city development.
A National Day-themed floral landscape unveiled at Nanchang's historic Bayi Square in east China's Jiangxi Province features a traditional Chinese knot at its core, symbolizing unity and national prosperity.
"Surrounded by blooming flowers, it is just like our lives today -- flourishing and harmonious," said resident Xiong Yan.
At the Lushan Mountain scenic area in Jiangxi, a large drone bearing a massive national flag flew over Guling Town, drawing crowds of tourists to take photos against the vibrant red display.
In Hohhot, capital of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, thousands of Chinese national flags line major thoroughfares and city landmarks, transforming the urban landscape into a sea of red.
Meanwhile, Yuzhong District of southwest China's Chongqing City is displaying over 2,000 flags alongside carefully arranged floral landscapes covering main roads, commercial hubs, and bridges.
In Taizhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, the national flags have been placed on lamp posts along the city's Yingchun Bridge. As night falls, the bright lights cast a glow on the flags, making their red color appear more vivid.
Cities across China unveil festive decorations ahead of National Day holiday
The fourth meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) in 2026 concluded its second day of session in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, on Sunday, with highlights on topics such as cross-border cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and digital economy.
Founded in November 1995, ABAC is the only non-governmental body with an official advisory role in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, engaging in a formal dialogue and submitting annual policy recommendation reports to APEC leaders.
On Sunday morning, two working groups under the ABAC held separate closed-door discussions. The Connectivity working group focused on concrete areas of cooperation, such as cross-border infrastructure and the facilitation of cross-border trade within the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, the Digital Innovation working group centered its attention on high-profile topics including the practical application of artificial intelligence, the development of the digital economy, and the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises.
During the discussions, representatives from some foreign enterprises noted that while digital technologies have indeed created numerous new opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region, the levels of digital development vary significantly among different economies; they therefore hope that any proposed recommendations from the meeting will take these disparities into account. Chinese representatives also expressed a desire to incorporate real-world examples of AI-driven industrial empowerment from China into the outcome documents, ensuring that the recommendations are better aligned with the actual needs of businesses.
The 14 outcome documents prepared by the ABAC this year have been finalized; the meeting also took stock of this year's collaborative achievements and mapped out the direction for cooperation in the coming year.
The second day of the event also included colorful activities. The delegates took cruise ships to experience the technological prowess of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge up close, and also attended a friendly exchange event in the evening.
APEC business representatives eye cooperation, digital economy at Shenzhen meeting
