Premier Li holds talks with Spanish PM

Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on Monday, and both sides agreed to expand cooperation and safeguard the multilateral trading system.

Sanchez is paying an official visit to China from Sept 8 to 11 at the invitation of Premier Li.

During the talks, Li noted that next year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership, saying that China is ready to take this opportunity with Spain to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, strengthen political mutual trust, jointly build bilateral relations with strategic focus, and push for more tangible results in mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

China is willing to work with Spain to expand two-way opening-up and push for better development of bilateral trade and investment cooperation, said Li.

China will provide more convenience and support for Spanish and other foreign enterprises to invest in China, and hopes that Spain will provide a fair, safe, non-discriminatory and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in Spain, he said.

He called on both sides to enhance cooperation in areas like new energy and digital economy and deepen people-to-people exchanges.

Li said protectionism and unilateralism are rising and the world economy is facing increasing risks and challenges, stressing that the so-called overcapacity in China's electric vehicle industry is groundless.

China stands ready to work with Spain to uphold openness and cooperation, safeguard the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth, and jointly build an open world economy, he said.

Sanchez said Spain attaches great importance to developing relations with China and looks forward to conducting closer bilateral exchanges at all levels, strengthening dialog and communication, consolidating political mutual trust, expanding bilateral exchanges and cooperation in fields of economy, trade and investment, green economy and people-to-people exchanges, and deepening mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.

Spain supports the European Union and China in conducting dialog and cooperation, safeguarding the multilateral trading system and jointly addressing challenges, he said.

After the talks, the two government leaders witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents in fields of economy, culture, education, science and technology.

Prior to the talks, Li held a welcome ceremony for Sanchez at the Great Hall of the People.

Premier Li holds talks with Spanish PM

The rising popularity of Guochao, also known as the trend of "China-chic", has contributed to a consumption boom and more diversified consumption scenarios ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

China-chic refers to fashion trends native to China, which incorporates unique native cultural elements into the latest trends.

For this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the brand-new event "The Empress's Mid-Autumn Feast" at the Mingtang Tiantang Scenic Area in the National Archaeological Site Park of Sui-Tang Luoyang City in central China's Henan Province has attracted many visitors.

Through interactive experiences such as the performance of court music and dance, and the Empress Wu Zetian bestowing incense, it recreated the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) palace, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the holiday.

The "Hanfu craze" in Luoyang City has led to an increase in the number of tourists visiting scenic spots and has extended the overall economic chain. This trend has boosted the popularity of services such as Hanfu rental, makeup and styling, and professional photography, making them widely popular.

In Luoyang's Luanchuan County, activities such as the "Fairy Palace Moon Viewing Party" at the peak of the Laojun Mountain, which stands over 2,000 meters above sea level, have driven a surge in business for the Hanfu stores at the mountain's summit, leading to a peak in consumer activity.

"This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is witnessing an increase of over 50 percent in Hanfu rentals and sales, as well as travel photography services, compared with the same period last year. With such beautiful scenery as a backdrop, the demand for traditional China-chic consumption remains strong," said Jin Ge, owner of a Hanfu store atop the Laojun Mountain.

Driven by the rise of China-chic, creative cultural products are continuously updated with new offerings.

At a glazed glass workshop in Zibo City, east China's Shandong, skilled workers were busy crafting creative glassworks featuring lively jade rabbits, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

As soon as the products hit the market, they quickly became popular both online and offline.

"While inheriting tradition, we've been exploring something new, developing creative products that better meet current market demands, thus winning the favor of a wide range of consumers," said Liu Jianhua, deputy general manager of Xiye Workshop.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions in China. It falls on September 17 this year.

China-chic boom fuels consumption for Mid-Autumn Festival