Chongqing-Taiwan Week held to seek new cross-Strait exchanges

The 16th "Chongqing-Taiwan Week" was held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality from Monday to Friday, further boosting cooperation and deepening exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.

The opening ceremony on Tuesday witnessed the signing of nine key cross-Strait economic and trade cooperation projects between seven districts and counties in Chongqing and Taiwan with a total investment of more than 1.6 billion dollars, covering areas including new energy, entrepreneurial services, and new materials. The event, themed "Sharing New Opportunities, Seeking New Development Together," involved 18 activities in economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, youth exchanges and other areas, attracting over 800 guests from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

"I believe that an event like 'Chongqing-Taiwan Week' actually can bring together talents from both sides of the Taiwan Strait on the same platform, allowing for direct communication and a better understanding of each other's needs," said Stephanie Chou, an anchor of CTITV News from Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Cross-Strait "Twin Cities Story" Media Visit also took place in Chongqing and neighboring Sichuan Province this week. Media representatives from the mainland and Taiwan Island visited Chongqing's Liangjiang and Bishan Districts, as well as some cities in Sichuan to learn about technological innovation, distinctive cultural tourism, and more.

At San Su Shrine Museum in Sichuan's Meizhou City, which is the former residence of Su Xun and his two sons Su Shi (Su Dongpo) and Su Zhe, three literary masters of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), Taiwanese media workers said that this tour has deepened their sense of identity with Chinese culture shared by the people on both sides of the Strait.

"I've known about Su Dongpo since we began learning to read and write, but I have never been to his hometown. So the feeling of being here today is beyond words. It is indeed a very good thing that this enhances the shared historical memory of the two sides of the Strait," said Peter Sung, executive deputy editor of Meihua Media from Taiwan.

At each spot, reporters from both sides of the Strait listened intently and captured what they saw with their phones and cameras. They noted that they would extensively disseminate their observations and insights from this journey through their respective media platforms.

Chongqing-Taiwan Week held to seek new cross-Strait exchanges

Chongqing-Taiwan Week held to seek new cross-Strait exchanges

Beijing, capital of China, saw an increased number of inbound visits during this year's three-day Qingming Festival holiday which started on Friday, according to data from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

Data shows that Beijing recorded over 9.59 million visits during the holiday, indicating a 6.2-percent increase compared with the same period in 2024. Based on the visits, the city saw a total tourism expenditure of 11.5 billion yuan (about 1.57 billion U.S. dollars), up 9.5 percent year on year.

Among the figures, the city received 69,000 visits made by overseas inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 45.6 percent. International tourism expenditure in Beijing reached 740 million yuan (about 101.19 million U.S. dollars), indicating a significant year-on-year growth of 46.2 percent.

Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox. Often seen as a time to enjoy the greenery of springtime and to visit the graves of ancestors, the holiday has also become a busy period for cultural and tourism activities in China.

Inbound visits to Beijing see robust increase during Qingming holiday