Members of the Shenzhou-19 crew aboard China's orbiting space station Tiangong completed their mission's third series of extravehicular activities (EVAs) at 20:50 (Beijing Time) on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze worked for about seven hours to complete multiple tasks, including the installation of space debris protection devices and extravehicular auxiliary facilities, as well as extravehicular equipment inspection. They were assisted by the space station's robotic arm and a team on Earth.
Cai has now carried out five extravehicular missions, more than any other Chinese astronaut to date, according to the CMSA.
At 13:45, Cai opened the hatch door to exit the cabin.
After Cai claimed onto the tip of the robotic arm, Song handed the airlock protective device to Cai from the hatch door.
Then Cai rode the robotic arm to the operation point and installed the protective device.
About two hours later, Song also exited the cabin and climbed to the handrail of the node module. Song worked with Cai to pass and install the protective devices for the Wentian lab module and the airlock module, and also installed the base for the node module's fixation device.
Wang assisted the pair throughout the mission from the Tianhe core module.
After completing the installation task, Cai rode the robotic arm to the inspection points of the space station's docking interface, where he conducted photographic inspections.
After completing the various spacewalk duties, Cai and Song have since returned to the Wentian lab module safely, according to the CMSA.
"The astronauts performed exceptionally well during the extravehicular mission. First, all of our operations were successful on the first attempt, and the alignment and installation of devices were very precise. In fact, the astronauts completed the tasks even faster than we had anticipated. The coordination between the astronauts, as well as between the space station and the ground team, was seamless. It was truly a perfect extravehicular mission," said Wang Yanlei, a staff member with the Beijing-based China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
The Shenzhou-19 crew has been in space for nearly five months, and the various space scientific experiments and tests are progressing smoothly. The crew is scheduled to return to Earth in more than a month.
China's Shenzhou-19 crew completes multiple tasks in third spacewalk
China's Shenzhou-19 crew completes multiple tasks in third spacewalk
As the Qingming Festival approaches, demand for short trips around first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou is surging, with both domestic getaways and international spring tours gaining significant traction, according to data from online travel platforms.
The Qingming Festival, also known as the Tomb-Sweeping Day, is traditionally a time for families to pay tribute to the deceased, as well as a peak period for spring outings. This year, the holiday will run from April 4 to 6, coinciding with favorable weather, blossoming flowers, and vibrant greenery that draw many travelers.
Data from Qunar, a major online travel agency, shows travelers from Beijing, Tianjin, and surrounding areas are flocking to nearby Hebei province. For young travelers, capturing social media-worthy photos has become a key focus, with attractions like Longxing Temple and Rongguo Mansion in Shijiazhuang, built for the television adaptation of the iconic 18th-century Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber, a Dream of the Red Chamber-themed theater complex in Langfang, and Shanhaiguan, the eastern end of the Great Wall in Qinhuangdao, all seeing search volumes increase by over 40 percent.
"During the Qingming Festival transport period, the Beijing Bureau anticipates handling 6.95 million passengers over the five-day period, representing a 4.6 percent increase compared to last year. The peak day will be April 4, with an estimated 1.65 million passengers. The majority of passenger flow will be concentrated on routes connecting Jinan, Taiyuan, Zhengzhou, Shenyang, Qingdao, and Xi'an, as well as round trips between Beijing and Tianjin, Baoding, Shijiazhuang, and Zhangjiakou," said Guo Liuming, spokesperson of Passenger Transport Department at China Railway Beijing Group Co.
To meet the demand, the China Railway Shanghai Bureau launched a special train in mid-March for spring blossom viewing, connecting popular scenic spots in nearby Jiangsu Province such as the ancient town of Zhouzhuang in Suzhou.
Hotel bookings reflect this growing interest, with destinations in the Yangtze River Delta region—such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Huangshan—showing significant year-on-year growth. Zhoushan, Huzhou, and Huangshan, in particular, have seen notable increases in bookings.
Analysts note that March and April are typically off-peak months for travel, with airfares and hotel prices more than 50 percent lower than during major holidays like the Spring Festival and May Day. As a result, many travelers are opting for "quick spring break" trips to destinations in Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. Currently, on the Qunar platform, direct flights from Beijing to Hanoi, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Jeju Island are priced under 1,000 yuan (about 138 U.S. dollars), while flights to popular destinations like Seoul and Osaka are available for under 1,400 yuan (over 190 U.S. dollars). Flights from Shanghai to Bangkok are priced below 500 yuan (about 70 U.S. dollars), and tickets to Jeju Island, Fukuoka, Osaka, and Nagoya are all under 1,000 yuan.
Short trips around China's first-tier cities surge ahead of Qingming Holiday
