China has seen a sharp surge in interregional passenger trips in the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival which ends on Tuesday, with the total number of passenger trips in the entire holiday season expected to reach a record high of more than 600 million, according to the latest official data released by the Ministry of Transport.
Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally a cherished occasion for family reunions, sparking an annual wave of travel to see loved ones or simply to enjoy time off from work and studies. The holiday runs from Sept 15 to 17 this year.
The data from the Ministry of Transport show that during the three-day holiday, the average daily interregional passenger flow is expected to exceed 205 million, an increase of 28.2 percent over the same period of 2023. In particular, the railway passenger volume is expected to exceed 42.99 million.
As the impact of Typhoon Bebinca weakens, passenger train services on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway, Hangzhou-Shenzhen High-Speed Railway and other lines have gradually resumed operation. Railway authorities in many places have launched special tourist train services with festival-related themes, promoting integrated development of "railway + cultural tourism".
Regarding highway transportation, the travel flow shows a tidal trait, mainly for short- and medium-distance self-driving. New energy vehicles account for more than half of the highway travel flow. In areas with concentrated charging demand such as scenic spots and highway service areas, transportation, electricity and other departments have enhanced efforts in services to ensure that car owners can charge their vehicles in a safe and orderly manner.
During the holiday, the civil aviation sector is expected to handle a total of 5.1116 million passenger trips nationwide, with popular routes concentrated between the four major city clusters of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in north China, the Yangtze River Delta in east China, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao area in south China, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region in southwest China.
As of early morning on Tuesday, the inbound and outbound passenger flow at the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport exceeded 10 million, a year-on-year increase of 19 percent, a record high in the past five years.
China sees sharp surge in interregional passenger trips during Mid-Autumn Festival holiday
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a non-binding resolution on Wednesday demanding an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory within the next 12 months by an overwhelming margin.
The resolution was adopted with 124 votes in favor, 14 against and 43 abstentions, during the UNGA's 10th emergency special session considering Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The resolution demanding that Israel comply with all its legal obligations under international law, including advisory opinions by the International Court of Justice, was introduced by the State of Palestine on Tuesday and was co-sponsored by more than two dozen nations.
By the newly adopted resolution, the UNGA "demands that Israel brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which constitutes a wrongful act of a continuing character entailing its international responsibility and do so no later than 12 months from the adoption of the present resolution."
The UNGA also demands that Israel comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law, including as stipulated by the International Court of Justice.
In remarks before the vote, Mohamed Issa Abushahab, the permanent representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, said the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza must be addressed through unimpeded access to those in need, a ceasefire deal and the full implementation of all related Security Council resolutions.
A credible peace process must be relaunched to work towards a two-State solution to diffuse this conflict, he said, expressing support for the State of Palestine's full statehood and UN membership. "The time has come to end the suffering," he noted.
Introducing the draft resolution on Tuesday, Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, called for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He said the Palestinian people have been steadfast in the pursuit of their inalienable rights, just like all other citizens worldwide who seek self-determination.
"The Palestinians want to live, not survive -- they want to be safe in their homes, they want their children to go to school without fear. They want to be free in reality as they are in spirit," said Mansour.
UNGA calls for end to Israeli occupation in Palestine within a year
UNGA calls for end to Israeli occupation in Palestine within a year
