Daily Kenya

Author: staff reporter

Categories
Business

China Focus: New high-speed rail lines carry holiday crowds, energize Chinese cities

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) — Liu Zengyuan, a railway engineer, watched familiar fields slip past the train window. This time, he was not heading to a construction site, but going home for the National Day holiday on the high-speed line he had helped build, just days after it opened.

This line, which officially entered service on Sept. 28, links Xiong’an in north China’s Hebei Province with Shangqiu in Henan Province in central China. For Liu, it has cut the trip from Renqiu, his workplace in Hebei, to his hometown of Heze in east China’s Shandong Province, from four or five hours to only two.

On the same day, China opened three other high-speed rail sections, connecting Xi’an with Ankang in Shaanxi Province in northwest China, Yichang with Xingshan in central China’s Hubei Province, and Harbin with Yichun in Heilongjiang Province in the country’s northeast. During the National Day holiday, from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7, these new lines made it easier for people to visit relatives, and brought new vitality to tourism along the routes.

During the holiday, a Beijing resident surnamed Wang took his family by high-speed rail to Hengshui Lake, a national nature reserve in Hebei Province. He was pleasantly surprised to find the journey so convenient, as the trip took less than two hours, and a shuttle bus at the station took them straight to the scenic area.

This new line ended the history of Hengshui having no high-speed trains directly running to Beijing. Thanks in part to the new rail line and local promotions, 32 A-level scenic spots across Hengshui received 715,000 visitors during the holiday, soaring 202.84 percent year on year.

“Cities are much closer now, not just on the map but in everyday life,” said Qu Xiaoyuan, an Ankang cultural and tourism official. His brother, who works in Xi’an, called him the day the Xi’an-Ankang high-speed railway opened, joking that he could dash to Ankang for a nice meal at home and still be back in Xi’an that night.

The line has cut travel time between the two cities from three hours to as short as 45 minutes. Ankang, a mountainous city in southern Shaanxi, is rich in ecological resources, and the new railway has taken a growing number of holiday travelers to its forests and rivers.

Ankang West Station, a new station built for the high-speed line, handled 50,800 outgoing passengers during the holiday, which was more than expected. The city also launched shuttle services linking the station with major scenic spots, where visits rose over 40 percent year on year.

As these new lines draw passengers from a wider area, weekend and short-holiday tourists may increase significantly, driving demand for multi-purpose and experience-oriented tourism products, Qu said.

Further east, the Yichang-Xingshan line brings destinations like southwest China’s Chongqing and central China’s Wuhan and Zhengzhou within two hours of Xingshan, weaving the Three Gorges, dense forests and cloud-shrouded peaks scattered along the route into easy, spontaneous trips.

Xingshan Station handled 14,216 outgoing passengers during the seven-day holiday, up 54.61 percent year on year. Local businesses in the city used high-speed rail tickets to link hotel discounts and reduce or scrap scenic spot admission fees.

Meanwhile, the northernmost high-speed railway in China connects Harbin, a major ice-and-snow tourism destination, with Yichun, a popular summer retreat and forest tourism spot. It cuts railway travel time between these two cities from about seven hours to roughly two hours, making it easier for more tourists to include Yichun in their holiday plans.

“Yichun used to be a ‘maybe’ destination because getting there was a hassle, but thanks to the new high-speed rail, it’s now a ‘must-go’,” said a Shanghai visitor surnamed Zheng, adding that the new line has made the stay of his family in Heilongjiang more colorful.

Wang Wei, director of the Yichun Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, said the new railway will bring Yichun into Harbin’s “two-hour economic circle,” creating new opportunities for its winter tourism, forest study tours and forest wellness tourism.

Ma Botao, of the China Railway Economic Planning and Research Institute, said for cities newly connected to the railway network, seizing the opportunity depends on how well they position themselves.

“Generally, large cities focus on research and development, finance and headquarters economy, while small cities should leverage their local agriculture, ecology, tourism and distinctive industrial strengths to undertake supporting manufacturing, agricultural product processing, and wellness and cultural tourism, serving as both industrial supporting bases and leisure backyards for central cities,” Ma explained.

Behind these expectations lies a network that keeps growing. By the end of 2025, the country’s total operating railway mileage had reached 165,000 km, including more than 50,000 km of high-speed rail.

Under national plans, China’s high-speed rail network is projected to hit 70,000 km by 2035, featuring eight north-south vertical lines and eight east-west horizontal lines. Once complete, the network will connect major cities, city clusters and key economic zones across the country. ■

Categories
DRC

Feature: Reliving the Long March, 90 years on

GUIYANG, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) — As firelight flickers across the walls and gunfire breaks the darkness, figures emerge from the smoke and move through the audience. These holographic images inside a theater recreate a battlefield from 90 years ago.

The spectators do not simply watch. They walk with the performers, finding themselves surrounded by scenes of retreat, pursuit and survival.

Through holographic projections, live-action performances and digital interaction, an immersive production called the “Red Ribbon” in Guiyang, capital of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, is bringing the history of the Long March closer to today’s audiences.

The Long March, a roughly 12,500-kilometer military odyssey that began in 1934, not only preserved the revolutionary forces, but also gave the Communist Party of China (CPC) a new foothold from which to grow the strength of the revolution, and a new starting point for carrying the revolution forward to victory. It has since become one of the defining chapters in the history of the CPC and a lasting symbol of the Long March spirit.

In the grueling journey, the Central Red Army set out with 86,000 soldiers, but only about 7,000 reached the revolutionary base in northwest China, meaning roughly one in 12 survived to witness the victory.

During the march, the Red Army crossed nearly 100 rivers, traversed vast grasslands once known as a “death trap,” and climbed over more than 40 mountains, including more than 20 snow-capped mountains rising above 4,000 meters.

For generations, the Long March has lived not only in history books, but also in literature, on screen and on stage. More than two thousand books have been written about the Long March, including Edgar Snow’s “Red Star Over China.” Countless documentaries, films and television dramas have been made, and a growing number of immersive performances are bringing the audience into the epic journey.

As China marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March in October this year, these works of art are offering new generations different ways to approach a history that might otherwise seem distant — turning names, dates and battles into sights, sounds and human stories.

During this year’s summer holiday, Guiyang’s “Red Ribbon” production increased performances from five to eight a day and added special evening shows, attracting more than 190,000 people. Since its opening in 2023, over 2.6 million people have participated in the immersive shows.

For some visitors, however, the Long March is not simply something to encounter. It is part of their own family history.

Ha Thi Tuong Thu, deputy editor-in-chief of Vietnam Pictorial, felt a particular connection to the journey. Her grandfather, Vietnamese general Nguyen Son (Chinese name Hong Shui), was among the few foreign soldiers who joined the Long March.

“My grandfather went through the entire Long March. What I’m seeing here at the performance is what he experienced. In the holographic show, a scene shows Chairman Mao Zedong calling on the Central Cadre Corps to come over. My grandfather must have been among them,” she said during a visit to Guiyang in July.

Thu has long been fascinated by her grandfather’s revolutionary life and plans to return with her children to retrace the Long March.

At the theater, one scene shows the Red Army crossing the Chishui River four times, repeatedly changing direction and outmaneuvering a much larger pursuing force. The river appears through digital images; troops advance, turn and disappear, evoking the twists and turns of one of the most celebrated maneuvers of the Long March.

Another aerial performance evokes the arduous trek across snow-covered mountains and grasslands — landscapes that once tested the limits of human endurance.

“On stage, I can deeply feel the faith that carried them across the snow-capped mountains. When I see tears in the audience’s eyes, I know that faith has found its way to people today,” said Guo Hanxu, 24, who plays a female Red Army soldier in the “Red Ribbon” performance.

Productions about the Long March and the Red Army are not confined to the theater.

About a two-hour drive from Guiyang, another production is on at the foot of Loushan Pass, placing audiences amid the landscape where history unfolded. Over the past two months, it has drawn about 50,000 visitors.

Set against the actual mountain terrain, the large-scale outdoor performance “Victory at Loushan Pass” uses explosions, warhorses and billowing smoke to recreate the battle widely regarded as the Red Army’s first major victory during the Long March.

Visitors follow the story from preparations before the battle to the final charge. Rather than watching from a distance, they move through the performance space at close range, hearing the gunfire and feeling the ground shake beneath them.

Guizhou Province was more than a stop along the Long March route. It was a place where the course of the journey changed, as the Red Army regrouped and turned military setbacks into strategic gains.

Today, across the province and along the wider Long March route, places once associated with those moments are searching for new ways to make the past tangible.

In Yudu, east China’s Jiangxi Province, where the Long March began, a large-scale historical production, “The Long March’s First Crossing,” focuses not only on soldiers, but also on ordinary people whose lives became intertwined with the Red Army.

Among its characters is Yinggu, whose story is based on Duan Guixiu, a local woman and widow of a Red Army martyr. Duan passed away at the age of 108 in August this year.

Duan’s husband, Wang Jinchang, joined the Red Army shortly after their marriage in 1932. He never returned and was later confirmed as a martyr. His absence shaped Duan’s lifelong wait — now part of a stage performance watched by people decades later.

In the play, Yinggu turns to the audience with an emotional appeal:

“Never forget: they were your family, your loved ones, the people to whom you owe a debt that can never be repaid.”

The words transform history from something to be remembered into something inherited.

At the former site of the Zunyi Meeting in Guizhou, another immersive production takes visitors back to a pivotal moment in the Long March.

Through interactive performances, visitors can take the roles of residents, helping Red Army soldiers transport supplies, tend to the wounded, and guide soldiers through the terrain.

“We hope to make the spirit of the Long March tangible through these experiences,” said Zhu Jingbo, head of a local culture and tourism bureau in Zunyi.

The approach seeks to breathe new life into revolutionary heritage, moving beyond the static displays traditionally found in museums and memorial halls. By inviting visitors to participate rather than simply observe, it also offers younger generations a more immediate way to encounter the past, while the approach itself contributes to local cultural tourism and development, Zhu said.

Along the route, memories of the journey have seeped into everyday life — into place names, stories and local products.

In Zunyi, even pomelos carry a memory of the Red Army.

The local fruit is known as the “Red Army pomelo,” a name linked to the story of Song Jiatong, a wounded Red Army soldier who stayed in the village to recuperate.

Today, the story lives alongside a 126.7-hectare orchard, which is expected to generate an output value of 1.2 million yuan (about 176,300 U.S. dollars) this year, turning a memory of wartime hardship into a source of livelihood.

Far to the northwest, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, traditional potato starch noodles are named “Red Army noodles,” recalling techniques that the Red Army is said to have taught the locals.

The names have outlived the events that gave rise to them.

“One generation plants trees; the next enjoys the shade,” said Belgian media professional Romuald Bronchart. “The true essence of the Long March lies in empowering people — a vision China continues to fulfill through infrastructure building and inclusive development.”

The journey is over, but the memory never stops moving.

For Dutch Sinologist and reporter Elsbeth van Paridon, the takeaway is simpler. “This is not forgotten history, but living heritage,” she said. ■

Categories
Politics

China records 826 mln domestic tourist trips during 2026 National Day holiday amid diverse offerings

Tourists view a giant floral basket installation at Tian’anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2026. China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday. On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) — China saw 826 million domestic tourist trips during the recent seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said on Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry.

The holiday witnessed a vibrant cultural scene, with 180 large-scale performances held nationwide, including 125 concerts and 55 music festivals.

Beyond cultural performances, the integration of tourism with culture, commerce and sports continued to deepen. Mass-participation sports events and digital innovations offered visitors new experiences and helped drive tourism-related consumption.

Meanwhile, around 40 percent of tourists visited revolutionary sites or took part in activities such as flag-raising ceremonies and patriotic performances.

This trend takes on added significance this year, which marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March (1934-1936). The arduous journey helped lay the foundation for the eventual victory of the Chinese revolution.

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said the flow of visitors to revolutionary landmarks reflects people’s emotional identification with revolutionary traditions.

When they travel, they don’t just want to see history. They also want to draw deeper inspiration from the revolutionary legacy for their lives today, Dai noted.

Measures to boost tourism consumption have also helped expand holiday options for visitors and enhance their travel experiences.

Under a nationwide cultural and tourism consumption campaign running from late September through October, local authorities have organized a variety of activities and distributed more than 310 million yuan in consumption subsidies. ■

Tourists in traditional costumes take selfies at the Hetou Old Street scenic area in Fengnan District of Tangshan City, north China’s Hebei Province, Oct. 1, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

Tourists visit the Handan Museum in Handan, north China’s Hebei Province, Oct. 2, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Hao Qunying/Xinhua)

Tourists feed animals at a wild life-themed amusement facility in Yiyang County, central China’s Henan Province, Oct. 3, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Huang Zhengwei/Xinhua)

Tourists ride camels at the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring scenic area in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, Oct. 4, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Zhang Xiaoliang/Xinhua)

A drone photo shows tourists visiting the Zhangye Danxia scenic area, renowned for its Danxia landforms featuring striking red sandstone formations, in Zhangye, northwest China’s Gansu Province, Oct. 4, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Cheng Lin/Xinhua)

Visitors watch a robot performance at the Binzhou Science and Technology Museum in Binzhou City, east China’s Shandong Province, Oct. 7, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Chu Baorui/Xinhua)

Tourists visit the Fuzi (Confucius) Temple scenic area in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Oct. 5, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Liu Jianhua/Xinhua)

A drone photo shows tourists watching the sunrise at the Hengshan Mountain scenic area in Hengyang City, central China’s Hunan Province, Oct. 6, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua)

Tourists have fun at the Silver Beach resort in Beihai, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 3, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Jiang Keqing/Xinhua)

Tourists have fun during a water-splashing event in Jinghong City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Oct. 2, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Li Yunsheng/Xinhua)

Tourists watch a fire-breathing stunt performance at the Jigongshan scenic area in Xinyang City, central China’s Henan Province, Oct. 4, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Nie Pin/Xinhua)

Tourists visit the Yiwu Botanic Garden in Yiwu City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Shi Kuanbing/Xinhua)

Tourists visit the Anshun ancient town in Anshun City, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Oct. 6, 2026.

China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips during the seven-day National Day holiday, with tourism spending totaling 738.38 billion yuan (about 109.67 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Friday.

On a daily average basis, the number of domestic trips rose 6.3 percent from the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2025, while tourism spending increased 4.3 percent, according to the ministry. (Photo by Lu Wei/Xinhua)

Categories
Regional

Macao sets National Day holiday records for average, single-day arrivals

MACAO, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) — China’s Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) reaffirmed its appeal as a tourism hub over the seven-day National Day holiday, with both average daily and single-day visitor arrivals the highest for any National Day holiday on record, the Macao Government Tourism Office said Thursday.

Daily arrivals averaged 163,000 during the Oct. 1-7 holiday, up 15.5 percent from last year’s holiday, and peaked at 210,000 on Oct. 4, according to preliminary data.

More than nine in 10 hotel rooms were occupied on average during the holiday, with the occupancy rate rising 3.1 percentage points from last year’s holiday, according to industry figures cited by the office.

Holiday attractions included fireworks displays and a carnival featuring food, performances and games, the office said. ■

Categories
Regional

Holiday travel, spending boom mirror vitality of China’s vast market

Tourists are pictured at the south gate of Xihu Park in Fuzhou, east China’s Fujian Province, Oct. 7, 2026.  (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) — From bustling transport hubs and crowded scenic areas to fully booked restaurants and busy shopping districts, strong travel flows and vibrant consumption during the National Day holiday highlighted the resilience and momentum of China’s holiday economy.

Data from the Ministry of Transport showed that during this National Day holiday from Oct. 1 to 7, known as “Golden Week,” cross-regional passenger trips reached 2.14 billion, averaging 306 million a day, slightly above the daily average recorded a year earlier.

Longer breaks, richer local experiences, rising inbound travel and policy-supported consumption… What stood out this year was not just the sheer number of travelers, but how the holiday economy was changing shape.

LONGER JOURNEYS, DEEPER EXPERIENCES

With the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays separated by only three working days this year, some travelers took three days of leave to link the two breaks into a 13-day extended holiday. Data from Trip.com Group showed that one in every 10 travelers combined the two holidays into such a break.

That extra stretch has helped reshape travel preferences, driving demand for longer-distance trips, a more relaxed pace and more immersive experiences.

Online travel platform Qunar said bookings for flights covering more than 2,000 kilometers rose by more than 40 percent year on year during the National Day holiday, while hotel bookings involving stays across four or more cities jumped 53 percent year on year.

Improved transport links are making long-distance trips more accessible than ever. Before the holiday, new high-speed rail sections, including the Xiong’an-Shangqiu, Xi’an-Ankang, and Harbin-Yichun lines, began operation, connecting more destinations across the country.

For families like Wang Lei’s from Harbin, who traveled to Yichun to enjoy the autumn scenery, a journey that once took seven hours now takes just over one hour. “The time we used to spend on the road can now be spent enjoying the destination,” Wang said.

Experts said longer breaks extend the consumption chain and expand spending opportunities, giving transport, hospitality, catering and scenic spots a longer operating window and deeper spending potential.

Official data showed that during the National Day holiday, average daily sales in service sectors rose 19.5 percent year on year, with tourism, sightseeing and entertainment services up 23.6 percent, catering services up 9 percent, cultural and arts services up 20.9 percent, and sports services up 29.4 percent year on year.

A noticeable shift unfolded during this year’s National Day holiday: more travelers are looking beyond big-name cities and turning to smaller counties for their getaways.

In Mile City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, tourist Chen Jinhui from Shanghai in east China ordered a cup of local coffee and joined a community concert. “Coming to a small city, basking in the sun and relaxing — that’s the Yunnan way of life,” he said.

Data from Qunar showed that hotel bookings in popular counties rose 32 percent year on year, with Jiuzhaigou County in southwest China’s Sichuan and Burqin County in northwest China’s Xinjiang among the most sought-after destinations.

In August, nine government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, jointly issued guidelines to energize lower-tier markets and boost county-level consumption. The measures aim to streamline consumption channels, broaden the range of available brands, improve service quality, and create diverse and locally tailored consumption experiences in smaller cities and towns.

Small counties are no longer marginal players in the consumption landscape; they are becoming an important source of new domestic demand. McKinsey has projected that by 2030, more than 60 percent of China’s personal consumption growth will come from third-tier cities and below, as well as county and rural markets.

Inbound tourism also remained robust during the holiday. Data from the National Immigration Administration showed that during the holiday, 682,000 foreign nationals entered China, of whom 505,000 arrived under visa-free policies, up 5.4 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively, from a year earlier.

As October arrives, autumn colors are spreading across Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in central China’s Hunan Province. Tourists of different nationalities can be seen pausing for photos, listening to guides explain the area’s unusual landscape, or watching local Tujia ethnic performances.

“Zhangjiajie is beautiful. We walked through the forest, felt close to nature, and it was very relaxing,” said Noah, a tourist from Germany. He said he was especially impressed by the Tujia intangible cultural heritage performances and that the warmth of the local people made the visit truly memorable.

POLICY TAILWINDS, SMARTER SPENDING

Strong storefront demand and supportive policies are boosting consumption momentum. In the first six days of the National Day holiday, foot traffic and revenue at 78 major shopping streets and commercial districts monitored by the Ministry of Commerce rose 2.5 percent and 4.7 percent year on year, respectively.

Notably, the government’s consumer goods trade-in program drove 33.48 billion yuan (about 4.97 billion U.S. dollars) in sales over the same period, benefiting 6.39 million consumers.

“During the holiday, we bought a new refrigerator. The subsidy saved us more than 1,000 yuan,” said a Tianjin resident surnamed Wang.

The National Development and Reform Commission said before the holiday that it, together with the Ministry of Finance, had allocated the fourth and final batch of 62.5 billion yuan in ultra-long special treasury bonds for consumer goods trade-in programs, bringing this year’s total to 250 billion yuan.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed that from Oct. 1 to 6, sales of embodied AI robots on key platforms surged 130 percent year on year, while sales of smart glasses doubled.

In Huaqiangbei, a sprawling electronics marketplace in south China’s tech hub Shenzhen, new robots, AI translators and other tech gadgets have become popular purchases among foreign tourists.

“The number of overseas visitors has clearly increased. Most of them are buying tech products. Many come empty-handed and leave with full suitcases,” said a local shop owner.

More international travelers are flocking to China to experience the country firsthand, riding a rising wave of global fascination with everything from the scenery and culture to its lifestyles and, more recently, Chinese brands and design.

From “China Travel” to “China Haul,” the trend not only shows how Chinese manufacturing and innovation are winning over global visitors, but also confirms the potential and resilience of China’s vast domestic market, supported by visa-free entry, expanded duty-free shopping and improved tax refund services for international visitors, said Zou Yunhan, a researcher with the State Information Center.  ■

Categories
Politics

Xinhua Headlines: Where the Long March began, China’s new journey unfolds

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 18, 2026 shows a view of Yudu County, east China’s Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

NANCHANG, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) — The former ferry crossing is about half an hour’s walk from the home of Sun Guanfa, 77, in Yudu, a hilly county in east China’s Jiangxi Province.

For his father, the journey from this riverbank more than nine decades ago was part of an epic.

In October 1934, some 86,000 soldiers of the Red Army crossed the Yudu River to embark on what later came to be known as the Long March.

In a country beset by foreign invasion, social turmoil and destitution, the fledgling Red Army, led by the Communist Party of China (CPC), was fighting for national independence and the liberation of the Chinese people. But at the time, it was encircled by the overwhelming and much better-armed Kuomintang forces.

What followed was an epic military maneuver: from Yudu, Red Army troops trekked roughly 12,500 kilometers across China, crossing snow-covered mountains and treacherous marshlands, all the while battling enemy forces. They eventually reached the country’s northwest, where, in 1936, they were joined by several other Red Army branches, marking the victorious conclusion of the Long March.

This military maneuver preserved the Red Army. It also gave the CPC a new foothold in northwest China, from which it built up its strength, fought back against invading Japanese troops and eventually toppled the corrupt Kuomintang regime, leading to the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

In Yudu, the Long March is not simply a chapter in a history book. It is a family story.

More than 17,000 residents joined the departing army. Only 277 were recorded as eventually returning home, said Zhong Min, a guide at a museum built beside the river to commemorate the departure.

Her voice still catches when she says that number.

Her maternal great-grandfather died fighting the encirclement campaigns. Her husband’s grandfather marched away with the troops and was never heard from again. Sun’s father fell in a battle that saw the forces of the Red Army reduced to just over 30,000.

“We are not telling other people’s stories,” Zhong said. “We are telling our own families’.”

Here, the Long March is measured not only in kilometers and battles, but in the people who left home knowing they might never return.

For Sun, the legacy of that generation is deeply personal. Under a local tradition, Sun was adopted as the son of the soldier who left the riverbank and never returned, so that the soldier’s family line could continue.

“People of my father’s generation were willing to give their lives so ordinary people could be liberated,” Sun said.

On the same riverbank in 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of what had enabled the Party and the Red Army to come back from the brink of destruction time and again: firm ideals and convictions, and strong willpower.

“We must not forget our Party’s original aspiration and founding mission,” said Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. The Party’s long-stated mission, dating to its founding in 1921, is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation.

During the visit, Xi placed a flower basket at a monument commemorating the Red Army’s departure and bowed in tribute. He then walked behind the monument to a railing overlooking the river and stood there for a long while.

The river remains. For Xi, it was also a place from which to look ahead to China’s future.

“We came to this place to revisit what it was like when the Red Army set out,” he told local people gathered nearby. “Today we are on a new journey — to build a modern socialist country. We must carry on the work of those who came before us, gear up anew, and set out once more.”

That new journey was unfolding against a vastly changed backdrop. When Xi visited Yudu, the nationwide campaign he had launched to combat poverty was entering its final stage.

It would culminate in the elimination of absolute poverty in a nation of 1.4 billion. Nearly 100 million rural residents were lifted out of poverty under Xi’s “targeted poverty alleviation” campaign, which mobilized the entire Party and the nation.

Xi announced the victory, as a key part of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, in 2021 when the CPC marked its centenary.

A drone photo taken on Oct. 2, 2026 shows tourists at a memorial hall marking the departure of the Long March by the Central Red Army in Yudu County, east China’s Jiangxi Province. (Photo by Zeng Xiaomao/Xinhua)

During his 2019 visit, Xi saw for himself whether the former revolutionary base areas were on track to meet their poverty-reduction targets.

At Sun’s home, he walked through the main hall to the backyard and checked the kitchen and the bedrooms. There was rice and cooking oil in the kitchen, and the bathroom was clean.

Xi asked about the family’s income and how Sun’s son and daughter-in-law made a living, where their children went to school, and what the school meals were like.

“By the time they grow up, we will have achieved the rejuvenation of our nation,” Xi said, pointing to Sun’s two grandchildren.

China aims to basically realize socialist modernization by 2035 and build a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, according to the vision set by the Party.

Earlier, at the museum where Zhong served as a guide, Xi had stopped before a map of China made from straw sandals.

The display recalled how local people worked through the night to make straw sandals for the soldiers, many of whom fought barefoot. They also dismantled doors, bed boards, roof beams and even timber intended for coffins to build pontoon bridges, helping the soldiers cross the Yudu River.

“The country has developed and people’s lives have improved, but we must remember where it all came from,” Xi said. “We must not forget our revolutionary forefathers and those who died for the revolution, or the people of the old revolutionary base areas.”

Nowadays, golden waves of selenium-rich rice ripple around the 700-year-old village, and rows of modern vegetable greenhouses stand nearby. In the residential area, white-walled houses with gray-tiled roofs sit amid trees, while pavilions nestle between them.

“Now we have wages from working, rent from our guesthouses and dividends from our shares,” Sun said. “Our annual income has tripled to more than 200,000 yuan (around 29,000 U.S. dollars).”

This file photo taken on Oct. 21, 2020 shows Sun Guanfa (L) introducing local agricultural products to tourists in Tantou Village, Yudu County, east China’s Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

The transformation extends well beyond Yudu.

Much of southern Jiangxi, once cut off from the outside world by rugged mountains, is far more connected. High-speed rail links it with the city of Shenzhen, the country’s economic powerhouse close to Hong Kong. Expressways also reach every county, and paved roads now extend into villages.

For local business owners, it no longer means spending two days and two nights on the road to source a critical part. Now they can hop on a high-speed train, pick up what they need in the morning and return that afternoon, drastically speeding up the development of a prototype.

The change is not only about getting around. Industries such as non-ferrous metals and advanced materials, electronics and information technology, and textiles and apparel have taken root here. For ordinary people, the changes are closer to home. Housing has improved, drinking water is safer, and schools and medical care are more accessible.

More people can now earn a living without leaving their hometowns. In March, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University launched a facility dedicated to research into smart wearables and smart clothing in Xingguo, a county next to Yudu.

This summer, Yudu welcomed students from more than 170 universities across China who came to retrace the Long March at the places where it began. Many realized that the Red Army soldiers who set out were their age.

“Standing where those young soldiers began their journey gave me a deeper understanding of what they accomplished,” said Liu Fanshuo, an undergraduate studying automation.

Today, five modern bridges span the Yudu River near the crossings where local people once built pontoon bridges to help the Red Army cross.

On the banks, Sun pours hot tea for tourists whose lives might have been very different had those soldiers never crossed.  ■

Categories
Business

Kenya’s property market adapts to shifting demand as high-density residential project launches in Nairobi

Kenya’s residential property market is entering an increasingly selective phase as buyers shift focus toward long-term value and larger living spaces, marked by the launch of a new flagship residential project in the capital city of Nairobi on Thursday.

​The development, named AERA Westlands, features a 19-floor structure comprising 360 suites located in Westlands, one of Nairobi’s primary commercial and residential districts. The project aims to respond to evolving urban consumer preferences by offering higher spatial standards and flexible layout options in high-density urban environments.

​The launch comes amid resilient yet diverged performance across Kenya’s real estate sector. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that national residential property prices rose 4.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, with the overall Residential Property Price Index reaching 118.4, up from 113.0 in the same period of 2025.

​Macroeconomic fundamentals have supported construction activity, with Kenya’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanding by 4.6 percent in 2025, while the construction sector rebounded by 6.8 percent during the year, according to official statistics.

​However, localized market conditions present a complex landscape for developers. While property prices across Nairobi’s broader suburbs edged up 0.9 percent quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter of 2026, apartment values in Westlands faced a 6.5 percent year-on-year drop due to expanding market supply, according to market tracking by HassConsult.

​Industry analysts note that changing supply-demand dynamics are altering buyer behavior across East Africa’s largest economy. Demand for larger living formats remains notably strong, with KNBS data recording a 20.4 percent year-on-year price increase for standalone houses in Nairobi’s middle-income segment in early 2026—the highest growth among surveyed residential categories.

​To address the demand for larger space within high-rise developments, the newly launched project incorporates one-bedroom units ranging from 75 to 95 square meters, alongside two-bedroom and three-bedroom suites spanning up to 200 square meters.

​Situated near key transport corridors including the Nairobi Expressway and Waiyaki Way, the project targets diverse buyer segments, including local professionals, diaspora investors, and corporate tenants, benefiting from Westlands’ role as an economic and hospitality hub. According to market analysis by Cytonn Investment, average residential rental yields in Nairobi’s suburbs stood at 7.4 percent in the second quarter of 2026.

Categories
Regional

China’s railways see holiday return peak amid vibrant tourism market

Passengers walk out of Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Oct. 1, 2026. (Photo by Su Yang/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) — China’s railways saw the peak of the holiday return rush on Wednesday, with 24.15 million passenger trips expected on the final day of the National Day holiday, amid strong travel demand and vibrant tourism activity across the country.

A total of 2,449 additional passenger trains were scheduled on Wednesday to cope with the surge in demand, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

On Tuesday, the country’s railways handled 21.6 million passenger trips, marking the third consecutive day with more than 20 million journeys.

Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi’an, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Chongqing and Shanghai were among the busiest cities for departures and arrivals, while passenger flows were particularly heavy on routes including Beijing-Shanghai, Wuhan-Shanghai, Wuhan-Shenzhen and Xi’an-Chengdu.

Railway authorities across the country added services and expanded overnight operations to facilitate the return rush as China’s tourism market remained vibrant during the seven-day holiday, with county-level destinations and nighttime consumption emerging as notable trends.

County-level destinations gained popularity as travelers increasingly sought slower-paced and more immersive experiences away from major cities.

From the coastal county of Lingshui in south China’s Hainan Province to Mohe, a county-level city on the country’s northern frontier, smaller destinations are drawing visitors with distinctive local experiences.

Meanwhile, nighttime consumption flourished in many cities, with cultural performances, night markets, light shows and food fairs extending visitor stays and enriching holiday experiences.  ■

Categories
Business

Xinhua Headlines: Small counties, big appeal:

China’s “golden week” fuels diverse getaways


*During this National Day holiday from Oct. 1 to 7, authorities had projected 2.13 billion cross-regional passenger trips, averaging 300 million a day.

*Cultural and tourism authorities nationwide have introduced a range of creative initiatives to attract visitors, drawing on sports events, cultural IPs, ethnic traditions and distinctive natural landscapes.

*On Sept. 24, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced plans to develop more travel experiences that combine traditional culture with modern life during 2026-2030, aimed at helping foreign visitors travel more conveniently, enjoy more comfortable stays and gain a closer view of contemporary China.

BEIJING, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) — While tourism in China has traditionally been associated with breathtaking landscapes and photo opportunities, Wang Xin (pseudonym) opted for a different kind of National Day holiday this year: watching tennis.

Well before the vacation she had purchased tickets for the Jingshan Tennis Open in central China’s Hubei Province.

A resident of Dongguan in Guangdong Province, about 1,000 kilometers away, she first learned about Jingshan because of the tournament. “I want to watch matches featuring several young WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) players up close,” said the tennis enthusiast.

She planned to spend three days watching the matches and the remaining four days exploring the county-level city, taking in its scenic mountains, valleys, and forests.

During this National Day holiday from Oct. 1 to 7, one of China’s few annual “golden weeks,” authorities had projected 2.13 billion cross-regional passenger trips, averaging 300 million a day.

People enjoy a match during the Jingshan Tennis Open in Jingshan, central China’s Hubei Province, Oct. 4, 2026. (Photo by Lei Yixin/Xinhua)

Data from Meituan, a major services platform, showed homestay bookings for four-to-six-night stays during the holiday rose 24 percent year on year as of Sept. 28, with county-level destinations posting particularly strong growth.

Cultural and tourism authorities nationwide have introduced a range of creative initiatives to attract visitors, drawing on sports events, cultural IPs, ethnic traditions and distinctive natural landscapes.

DESTINATIONS FOR DIVERSE DEMANDS

Jingshan, a county-level city where tennis has been developing for more than 40 years, is known as China’s “hometown of tennis.”

To boost tourism during the National Day holiday, local authorities announced that during the tournament period, a match ticket would entitle holders to discounts at over 100 local businesses. Merchants have also benefited from the holiday travel surge.

Zuo Meng, a vendor selling knitted products, said she follows the local tennis events closely. “In Jingshan, there are tennis matches almost every week,” she said, adding that a tournament can generate 6,000 to 7,000 yuan (about 895 to 1,044 U.S. dollars) in sales. Over the past two years, she has also taught knitting skills to more than 200 women so they, too, could benefit from tourism.

Peng Jufang runs a farm in Wenfeng Village. Noticing tourists’ enthusiasm for tennis, he founded his own tennis club in October last year. With more than 16 people coming each day to try their hand at tennis, he was kept busy during this National Day holiday, teaching visitors for over six hours a day.

In 2025, Jingshan hosted 48 domestic and international sports events. The comprehensive output value of its “tennis plus” economy surpassed 3.5 billion yuan, drawing 3.52 million visits for matches and tourism.

While Wang Xin enjoys tennis matches in Jingshan, cultural enthusiasts have meccas of their own to visit.

Wang Yinan, in her 20s, traveled from Beijing to Ruicheng County in north China’s Shanxi Province after watching the popular animation “All Wishes Come True.” Hometown of the legendary figure behind the film’s main protagonist, Lyu Dongbin, Ruicheng is home to the Yongle Palace, which is known for its celebrated murals.

“It is such an exciting trip, and it’s incredible to be in Lyu’s hometown,” said Wang, as she browsed creative products at the Yongle Palace store.

Visitors are seen during a study tour for mural copying at the Yongle Palace scenic area in Ruicheng, north China’s Shanxi Province, Oct. 2, 2026. (Photo by Guo Song/Xinhua)

Liu Haibo, chairman of the Yongle Cultural Tourism Investment and Construction Co., Ltd., said the scenic site rolled out customized services to sustain its tourism growth following its viral popularity. Visitors can take photos in dedicated photo zones, guides explain the murals by linking them to scenes from the film, and tourists can attend interactive classes to learn mural copying and line drawing.

The movie has helped raise the profile of Ruicheng, making it a sought-after destination, especially among young people. Statistics showed that between Oct. 1 and 5, Yongle Palace received about 80,000 visits, up more than 50 percent year on year.

The ancient township of Fenghuang in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China’s Hunan Province, has kept its tourist momentum following the Sept. 25-27 Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

During the National Day holiday, some visitors seeking to avoid the crowds have ventured beyond the ancient town of Fenghuang into surrounding mountains and villages, exploring rich ethnic cultures, such as Miao welcoming rituals, lantern shows and folk performances.

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS JOINING THE RUSH

The diverse tourism resources in China’s counties are also luring international visitors away from metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai and toward niche attractions.

Lucas Martin, 28, from France, visited Fenghuang for the first time after touring major Chinese cities.

“Fenghuang feels entirely different from big cities,” he said. “You can slow down here. You can admire the distinctive stilt houses lining the Tuojiang River and observe local residents in their daily lives.”

The in-depth county exploration impressed him with the town’s authentic living vibe. “This is not merely a tourist attraction. Walking along the river and pausing at street corners makes me feel more than just a passing sightseer.”

Foreign tourists try specialty food of the Miao ethnic group at the ancient township of Fenghuang in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China’s Hunan Province, Oct. 1, 2026. (Photo by Hu Cong/Xinhua)

Emma Wilson, an Australian traveler who is exploring small towns and countryside across China, tried on Miao ceremonial costumes in Fenghuang.

“It is magical to walk into the old streets, dressed like locals,” she said. Shop staff carefully helped her get fitted in the ethnic costume.

“A simple landscape photo fades quickly from memory. But putting on traditional clothing, tasting local food and learning the stories behind folk customs create experiences that stay with you far longer,” she said.

Since December 2023, when China launched a trial policy granting unilateral visa exemptions to visitors from six countries, it has expanded unilateral visa-free entry to travelers from 50 countries as of September, allowing eligible visitors to stay for up to 30 days.

In a separate move, authorities extended the visa-free transit period for certain countries from 72 or 144 hours to 240 hours in December 2024. So far the number of eligible countries has increased to 57.

Official data revealed that foreign nationals made nearly 61.29 million border crossings in the first eight months of 2026, up 19.5 percent year on year, while one of the leading mobile payment platforms, Weixin Pay, reported that both the value and number of e-wallet transactions made by overseas users rose by more than 80 percent during the same period.

On Sept. 24, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced plans to develop more travel experiences that combine traditional culture with modern life during 2026-2030, aimed at helping foreign visitors travel more conveniently, enjoy more comfortable stays and gain a closer view of contemporary China.

A National Day gala is held on the Tuojiang River at the ancient township of Fenghuang in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China’s Hunan Province, Oct. 1, 2026. (Photo by Hu Cong/Xinhua)

FROM “CITY WALK” TO “COUNTRY WALK”

Yang Han, a researcher at an institute affiliated to the travel platform Qunar, believes that county-level tourism began to accelerate around 2023-2024, as travelers increasingly sought destinations with fewer crowds, a lively atmosphere, opportunities for relaxation and immersive local experiences, as well as greater value for money.

For instance, in Ruicheng of Shanxi, a set meal for one person may cost less than 20 yuan, the price of a cup of bubble tea in Beijing.

Tuo Yanzheng, a professor at the College of Tourism and Service Management, Nankai University, said county areas hold rich agricultural, ecological and cultural resources with untapped consumption potential.

“The key lies in turning these resource strengths into distinctive tourism products and consumption scenarios,” she said. “It can not only meet people’s increasingly diverse consumption demands, but also inject new vitality into the county economy.”

According to Sun Jiashan, a researcher at the Central Institute of Socialism, China’s tourism market has evolved from “City Walk” to “Country Walk.”

Steadily improving transportation has made county-level destinations more accessible. By the end of 2025, China’s total operating railway mileage had reached 165,000 km, including more than 50,000 km of high-speed rail.

Shortly before the National Day holiday, the country opened four major high-speed railway sections, improving transport links across several regions and making travel easier for residents. The high-speed rail network is projected to hit 70,000 km by 2035, with eight north-south vertical lines and eight east-west horizontal lines.

In addition, Sun noted that beyond scenic spots, historical sites and natural landscapes, tourists are increasingly drawn to vibrant scenes of everyday life, such as farmers’ markets and bustling streets. “This shift also places higher demands on local cultural and tourism infrastructure and services,” he said.

“As overseas tourists venture beyond first-tier cities into central and western regions and county-level areas, they encounter not only the outward face of China’s development but also the texture of everyday social life,” he said. “This helps break through cognitive filters and information barriers in Western societies and presents a real China to the world.”

(Video reporters: Wang Xuetao, Yue Wenwan, Yan Rui, Hu Rong and Zhang Yujie; Video editors: Yang Zeyi, Zhang Mocheng, Zheng Xin)■