Emergency crews in the southern Chinese island province of Hainan has been making progress in recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Typhoon Yagi, with power restored to most major urban areas, essential utilities, and hospitals as of Monday, according to officials.
Speaking at a press conference in Hainan, the officials from the province's emergency command center for Typhoon Yagi said that in addition to the ongoing process of restoring power, crews were also working on restoring communication services and reopening provincial and national highways to two-way traffic.
Authorities said the provincial power grid operator had been maintaining a top-level emergency response to address ongoing challenges. Repair teams are working to restore extensive damage to over 10,000 utility poles and 2,500 kilometers of 10kV power lines. Despite the obstacles, the teams are dedicated to ensuring that educational institutions and businesses can quickly resume work.
The storm knocked out about 29,370 telecommunications base stations across Hainan, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology sending support teams from neighboring provinces to aid in repairs. Service from more than 10,000 damaged stations has resumed so far.
"We have adjusted the operational parameters of unaffected communication base stations to expand coverage and restore basic services in areas that previously had no signal," said Chen Xingwu, deputy director of Hainan's communication administration.
Two-way traffic had been restored on provincial and national highways by Monday afternoon, while county and township roads have been mostly cleared. Public transportation services across the province are gradually resuming operations.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, made landfall twice on Friday, first striking Hainan Province and later the neighboring Guangdong Province.
Repairs on Hainan's infrastructure proceeding at pace after Typhoon Yagi
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
