The Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has handled over 968,000 inbound and outbound vehicle passages as of Sunday since the "northbound travel for Hong Kong vehicles" scheme was officially launched on July 1, 2023, according to data released by the bridge border inspection station.
The scheme allows eligible Hong Kong private cars to travel between Hong Kong and neighboring Guangdong Province via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge without the need to obtain regular quotas.
The traffic convenience has also helped enhance cultural integration between Hong Kong and the mainland.
Many residents from Hong Kong make special trips to the mainland, not only to try delicious local cuisine, but also to witness the rich cultural performances on display.
"During every holiday, we would bring the elderly and children to see some cultural performances on the mainland side. The border crossing is open 24 hours a day, so we can return to Hong Kong as late as 22:00," said a Hong Kong resident.
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge handles 968,000 vehicle passages since its launch
A horse farmer in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana shared his memorable experience living in China and learning Chinese, exemplifying how strengthened diplomatic ties between China and Kazakhstan continuously deepened people-to-people exchanges and achieved results in culture and tourism cooperation.
Ernar came to China in 2014 and studied the Chinese language for six years in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Speaking on horseback with a China Global Television (CGTN) reporter, he stressed that language is a crucial skill due to the increasing involvement of Chinese people and companies in his country.
"A child of my father's friend wanted to learn Chinese in China. I believe Chinese is an important language to learn nowadays," he said.
With deeper official bonds, Kazakhstan has been enjoying a visible increase in Chinese visitors. Ernar also noted that his horse farm business in the suburbs of Astana attracts hundreds of visitors during weekends.
"I heard people speaking Chinese. Then I asked why they were here. I found out that most of them are businesspeople," he said.
He also explained that this year is also the Year of Kazakhstan Tourism in China, and Chinese citizens are allowed to stay in Kazakhstan for up to 30 days for single crossing thanks to the visa-free agreement.
Data shows that Chinese tourists in Kazakhstan have increased more than 10-fold from 2022 to 2023, with many attracted to the country's wide open grasslands.
Kazakh horse farmer embraces flourishing people-to-people exchanges with China
