Rural tourism surges across China during National Day holiday

Rural tourism is gaining popularity across China during the National Day holiday, with travelers flocking to nearby villages to enjoy autumn scenery, cultural experiences and agricultural activities.

In Nanchang City, east China's Jiangxi Province, historic villages and pastoral landscapes are drawing visitors with a range of immersive cultural attractions.

At the Anyi Ancient Village Scenic Area, traditional architecture featuring gray-tiled roofs and brick walls is complemented by bright red holiday decorations. Visitors can take part in live performances and traditional wedding proceedings based on Tang Dynasty (618-907) customs, offering an immersive experience of traditional Chinese marriage rituals.

The scenic area has also introduced a "silver banknote" consumption system. Visitors can earn the specially designed notes by taking part in interactive activities and use them to redeem local snacks or offset spending at participating businesses. The initiative links sightseeing with dining, accommodation and other services, helping boost holiday consumption in the ancient village.

The scenic area is expected to receive more than 100,000 visitors during the week-long National Day holiday.

"The biggest feature of our festivities this year is that we have transformed the entire ancient village into a live theater. Visitors are no longer spectators, but become part of the story, allowing them to enjoy a wonderful holiday," said Xia Bin, general manager of Nanchang Anyi Ancient Village Tourism Operation.

Rural tourism is also gaining momentum in the outskirts of Zhuhai City, just north of Macao, where agricultural and cultural activities are bringing visitors to the countryside.

At a farm in Jinwan District, families are taking part in farming experiences and countryside games. Local libraries, museums and cultural centers have also extended public cultural services into the fields, offering mobile reading rooms, outdoor movies and classes in the countryside.

The attractions are drawing many visitors from Hong Kong and Macao, who are bringing their families to experience rural life and enjoy the pastoral scenery.

"The scenery is really beautiful, and it also has a strong feeling of rural life. I happened to bring my child here, and the rice and other things here give him a chance to see them in real life and learn more about them," said Leung Wai Man, a tourist from the Macao Special Administrative Region.

In Dangshan County, Suzhou City of east China's Anhui Province, pear orchards along the old course of the Yellow River are also welcoming visitors during the harvest season.

To make holiday trips more convenient, local authorities have set up visitor service centers and rest stations at orchards. Staff provide travel information, picking guidance, fruit packaging, refrigerated delivery and emergency assistance.

After picking pears, visitors can have the fruit packed and shipped directly to their homes, allowing them to enjoy both the harvest experience and the convenience of supporting services.

Rural tourism surges across China during National Day holiday

Cooperation and exchanges between China and Indonesia have yielded tangible results since the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative was proposed 13 years ago, benefiting sectors from infrastructure to cultural exchange.

One of the major achievements is the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, which links the Indonesian capital Jakarta with the city of Bandung in West Java Province. It has slashed the trip time from about four hours to just over 40 minutes.

As Indonesia's first high-speed rail line and the first in Southeast Asia, the railway has handled over 18 million passenger trips since it officially began commercial operations on Oct 17, 2023.

Along the railway, an industrial park is home to Wuling Motors Indonesia, a subsidiary of the major Chinese automobile manufacturer SAIC-GM-Wuling.

In the factory, more and more Indonesians are participating in different stages of vehicle production and assembly.

"When we first entered the Indonesian market, we mainly exported finished products. But now, what we export is technology, quality systems, and a full supply chain," said Yan Sui, head of the factory.

Young Indonesians working in various Chinese factories learn to operate advanced equipment, gain experience with new production methods and discover new career opportunities.

"At Wuling, I learned a great deal about automation, covering areas like conveyors, robotics, pneumatics and various mechanical and electrical systems. Technically speaking, I gained a lot of knowledge in Chinese factories," said Bintang, an Indonesian worker at the factory.

As bilateral cooperation among industries becomes more interconnected, so does the financial sector. Today, Indonesians traveling in China can use their own apps to make payments by simply scanning a QR code.

The two countries are also expanding cooperation in science and technology.

At Indonesia's Luban Workshop, a Chinese vocational training program, local youths acquire China's theoretical knowledge and experience, as well as practical skills they can apply in their jobs.

"Having able to have the device itself. PLC (programmable logic controller) and then able to learn how to design things in CAD (computer-aided design)," said Angga, an Indonesian university student.

The cooperation between the two countries also extends beyond the economy and technology sectors, into people-to-people cultural exchanges.

In August, the Chinese box-office hit "Dear You" was released nationwide in Indonesia, touching audiences with its historic diaspora experience and exploration of universal themes of displacement, nostalgia, and memories passed down through generations.

"This film is well worth watching for us, because it reflects the history of my parents' generation, a time from the past, and I feel very excited about it," said Chen Meizhuan, an Indonesian of Chinese descent.

China-Indonesia cooperation yields fruitful results across board