The high-speed tourist train between Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Shanxi Province, both in north China, was officially launched on Sunday, injecting new momentum into the cultural and tourism development of the two regions.
The D4022 bullet train, with 420 tourists onboard, embarked on a four-day journey featuring cultural exploration and winter sports.
The new tourist train service follows the opening of the Jining-Datong-Yuanping high-speed railway on Tuesday, which spans from Jining in Inner Mongolia through Datong to Yuanping in Shanxi.
The tourist train, decorated with festive elements, provided an immersive Inner Mongolian cultural experience for passengers with performances of the horsehead fiddle and traditional Mongolian dances and songs.
"When I got on the train, I felt warm at heart as it was filled with the atmosphere of the Year of the Snake and the Spring Festival," said Li Zhiqiang, one of the passnegers. Upon arriving in Inner Mongolia, the tourists will have the opportunity to explore cities such as Hohhot, Ordos, Ulanqab, and Baotou, fully experiencing the charm of winter tourism in the region. "Going forward, we will continue to promote the 'high-speed rail plus tourism' model, striving to create more cultural tourism products and premium routes to offer better services to tourists from across the country," said Ma Jing, a staff member of the Inner Mongolia Department of Culture and Tourism.
The launch of the high-speed tourist train coincides with China's announcement of an expanded railway network on Sunday, with a new operating plan adding 230 passenger trains nationwide, bringing the total to 13,028. The updated schedule is expected to enhance travel convenience, particularly during the busy Spring Festival travel period.
First Shanxi-Inner Mongolia high-speed tourist train launched
A group of 30 young people from Taiwan, organized by the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, have recently attended a series of Confucian cultural events in east China's Shandong Province, contributing to strengthening communication between young people from the mainland and Taiwan, and helping promote cross-Strait relations.
On Monday, the 2025 Cross-Strait Confucius Cultural Spring Gathering opened in Qufu City of Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius. The youth delegation, along with Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, attended the launch ceremony.
On Tuesday morning, the delegation watched a Confucius memorial ceremony at the city's Temple of Confucius, where they offered floral baskets and recited classical texts to honor the ancient Chinese philosopher.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) was ancient China’s most famous teacher, philosopher and political theorist, whose ideas have profoundly influenced the civilizations of China and other East Asian countries.
Kung Tsui-chang, a direct 79th-generation descendant of Confucius from Taiwan who also traveled with the youth delegation, expressed his hope that similar cultural exchanges would help strengthen ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"The youths from Taiwan and the mainland performed the rituals and played the ritual music together. This cultural resonance transcends language and is the most vivid explanation of our shared cultural root. I believe that by sustained cultural dialogue, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, while jointly safeguarding the common cultural root, will enhance mutual understanding, build consensus, and inject more positive energy into cross-Strait peace and national rejuvenation," said Kung, also president of the Confucius Foundation.
During their stay in Shandong, the delegation also participated in other exchange activities in the cities of Tai'an, Qingdao, Zaozhuang, and Jinan.
Taiwan's youth delegation attends Confucian cultural events in mainland
