A British vlogging couple has struck a major chord with viewers through their captivating video series documenting their tours of China, which have racked up more than three million plays.
Paige and Jack have explored renowned destinations in Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xinjiang, and Chongqing. To their surprise, the engaging video diaries they made along the way have garnered immense popularity online.
"For me, we thought that we'd go to China with our friend and we'd film a bit while we were there. But we never imagined it would lead us to this," said Paige.
China has seen a continuous surge in inbound tourism this year thanks to its relaxed visa policies and other encouraging measures, particularly the 144-hour visa-free policy, which allows visitors from 54 countries to enter China and stay for up to 144 hours without a visa for short-term activities.
The increase in overseas visits has been accompanied by an online frenzy, with "China Travel" consistently trending on social media sites.
In light of their growing popularity, Jack expressed his desire to further explore regions across China, intending to present audiences with an authentic portrayal of the country and stray off the beaten path.
"I think in recent months, it's become very popular to make travel videos in China, without a doubt. We want to go to Heilongjiang Province and up to various different places right in the northeast, away from what people might have previously thought of when they think about China," he said.
British vlogging couple's China tour videos amass 3 mln views
British vlogging couple's China tour videos amass 3 mln views
Israel bombed a school housing displaced Palestinians in Gaza Strip on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people including staff members with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and wounding dozens of the displaced seeking shelter there.
UNRWA has confirmed that six of its staff were killed in two airstrikes on the Al-Jaouni School in Central Gaza's Al Nuseirat refugee camp, including the shelter's manager.
UNRWA said the deaths mark the highest number of its staff killed in a single incident over the past 11 months.
In a statement on Thursday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the fatal attack on the school housing refugees, and called the lack of civilian protection in Gaza "unconscionable".
He also said the lack of accountability for Israel's killing of UN staff and humanitarian workers in Gaza is completely unacceptable.
Meanwhile, an Israeli government spokesperson said the attack was legitimate, accusing Hamas of using the school as a command and control center.
Hamdi Ali, the father of one of the children who died in the Israeli bombing, shared the hardships they've lived through. But despite everything, he said he will remain in the school because there is no safe place to go.
"We are peaceful civilians. We were displaced to this school in search of safety and reassurance. I lost my son Obaida in the bombing, and I don't know who else I’ll lose next time. Maybe I'll lose my wife, the rest of my children, or even myself. I could be one of the next victims, or any of the other displaced people here in the school," said the father.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, dozens of people injured in the attack on the school have been sent to Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospita, among whom a large number are women and children.
"We were surprised by a missile that penetrated three floors and hit the place where we were. Half of the floor collapsed and my sister fell down. My other sister and I were injured by missile shrapnel and were trapped under the rubble. One of my sisters had a broken arm, and the other had injuries on her head and back," said Lubna Jalo, a witness of the airstrike.
The Al-Jaouni School shelters about 12,000 displaced Palestinians, with most of them being women and children. It is run by UNRWA and has been bombed five times since the beginning of the ongoing war.
Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages.
The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip had risen to 41,084, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday.
Israeli airstrike on Gaza school kills UN staff, displaced Palestinians
