Archives April 2023

According to media reports from various sources, including Kyodo News, Reuters, Nikkei Asian Review, and South China Morning Post, China’s five-day May Day holiday started on April 29. Following the adjustment of COVID-19 prevention measures, domestic tourism demand has fully recovered, and China is expected to experience a record-breaking travel peak.

Data from China National Railway Group Co., Ltd. shows that within the eight-day period until May 4, the number of railway passengers in China is expected to reach approximately 120 million, a 20% increase compared to the same period in 2019. According to the data from China’s civil aviation department, it is projected that the number of air passengers during the May Day holiday will reach approximately 9 million, surpassing the domestic passenger volume of the same period in 2019.

Starting from April 29, inbound travelers to China can use antigen self-testing within 48 hours before boarding as an alternative to nucleic acid testing. Airlines no longer verify testing certificates before boarding.

According to data from Ctrip, domestic hotel and flight bookings have exceeded the levels of 2019. The data also reveals that the proportion of bookings for long-distance trips is close to 70%.

Tickets for many popular attractions nationwide have already sold out. Booking websites for attractions such as Beijing’s Old Summer Palace and Badaling Great Wall indicate that tickets for the first few days of the Labor Day holiday have been sold out.

Not only traditional tourist destinations like Beijing and Shanghai but also lesser-known cities like Zibo in Shandong Province, which is famous for its barbecue, have gained attention. According to the Zibo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, hotel rooms in the city were fully booked on May 1. The relevant authorities have also issued reminders through social media, advising tourists to prepare in advance for traffic congestion and long queues.

Furthermore, a large number of mainland tourists flocked to Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Station on the first day of the Labor Day “Golden Week.” The Hong Kong Tourism Board estimated that there would be 600,000 mainland visitors during the May Day holiday.

Commentaries from the media indicate that with the adjustment of epidemic prevention policies, there is a positive trend in consumption in sectors such as catering and tourism. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 5.8% year-on-year in the first quarter, with catering consumption seeing a significant growth of 13.9%, playing a driving role.

McKinsey & Company also noted that retail sales, dining out, tourism, and real estate purchases in China have shown a strong recovery momentum in the first quarter of this year.

Retail sales grew by 4.9% in the first quarter of this year, with March’s retail sales increasing by 9.1% year-on-year. People have resumed dining out in restaurants and bars, with this category experiencing a 13.9% growth in consumption in the first quarter, and a 26.3% growth in March.

Research on consumer spending reveals that compared to the same period last year, spending on clothing has shown the strongest growth in the first quarter, while food (7.5%) and cosmetics (5.9%) also experienced good growth.

McKinsey & Company believes that the strong first-quarter performance sets a positive momentum for the second quarter, leading to a consensus that China’s domestic gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by around 6% this year.

According to the Australian Financial Review, on April 23rd, a delegation of 15 Australian corporate executives and local government officials began a six-day visit to China. Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Gao Feng expressed a positive attitude towards the “mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation and exchanges between the two countries”. The revival of bilateral economic and trade between China and Australia once again sends a clear signal that mutual benefit and win-win cooperation is the direction of the times.

“Many Australian business and Labor Party officials are waiting in line to visit China, eager to enter the Chinese market,” as reported by the Voice of America website. The scene of Australian political and business figures visiting China intensively is another sign of the improvement in Sino-Australian relations. From the meeting between the leaders of China and Australia last year in Bali, Indonesia, to the Australian Foreign Minister’s visit to China, and then to the visits of the Governors of Victoria and Western Australia to China, the Australian political and business community has expressed an urgent desire to “rebuild ties” with China. According to the Australian Financial Review, the delegation visiting China this time includes representatives from major enterprises such as HSBC Australia, Telstra, ANZ Bank Group, and mining company Rio Tinto. The Voice of America website analyzed that although other Australian business leaders have visited China in the past month, this visit, organized by the Australia-China Business Council, is the first official delegation supported by the federal government to visit China, and is the latest sign of the thawing of Sino-Australian diplomatic relations.

<Quoted from an overseas commentator of “https://www.chinanews.com”>

French President Emmanuel Macron made a state visit to China from April 5th to 7th, 2023. During his visit, he held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top officials to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss issues of mutual concern.

On the first day of his visit, Macron attended the opening ceremony of the China International Import Expo in Shanghai and delivered a keynote speech. He also met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and signed several economic agreements between France and China.

On the second day, Macron visited the Palace Museum in Beijing and held talks with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders discussed a wide range of topics, including trade, climate change, and global governance.

On the final day of his visit, Macron visited Tsinghua University and gave a speech on the importance of academic cooperation between France and China. He also met with French business leaders in China to discuss opportunities for economic cooperation and investment.