China's foreign trade has the confidence and capacity to address various risks and challenges, Xiao Lu, an official with the Ministry of Commerce, said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, Xiao said the world economy is currently facing significant uncertainties, particularly in the trade sector, where the stability of production and supply chains is under threat.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned that a broader "trade war" could lead to an increase in trade barriers. As a result, the OECD has revised its projection for global economic growth in 2025 downward by 0.2 percentage points to 3.1 percent. In contrast, it has raised its growth forecast for China by 0.1 percentage points.
The adjustment reflects the international community's confidence in China's economy and its growing optimism about China's development prospects.
"We can see that China's vast market potential continues to be unleashed, and measures aimed at stabilizing the economy and foreign trade are being progressively implemented. The fundamental trend of long-term sound economic development remains unchanged. China's foreign trade has the confidence and capability to address all kinds of risks and challenges," said Xiao.
In 2024, China's goods imports and exports reached 43 trillion yuan (about 5.97 trillion U.S. dollars). It has become a major trading partner for over 150 countries and regions and has signed 23 free trade agreements with 30 countries and regions.
"China will continue to practice true multilateralism, firmly safeguard the global trade order, and collaborate with more trade partners to achieve win-win outcomes, thereby injecting greater stability into global trade growth," said the official.
China's foreign trade capable of dealing with risks, challenges: commerce ministry official
Tourist destinations across China witnessed a surge in visitors during the Labor Day holiday, offering a diverse range of experiences to enrich travelers' journeys.
Among the spots is Hengshan Mountain and Hanging Temple in Datong City, north China's Shanxi Province, which has seen a peak in visitor numbers on Thursday, the first day of Labor Day holiday.
To manage the large crowds, the scenic area required tourists to book time slot in advance and extended its opening hours by one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.
"It's truly spectacular. I'm amazed at the wisdom of the ancients in building this temple," said a visitor.
To protect the wooden structure of the Hanging Temple, daily visitor numbers are capped at 3,260, and tickets for the holiday were sold out.
In Henan Province, the Mount Laojun scenic area in Luoyang City recorded nearly 30,000 visitors on Thursday.
While enjoying the scenery, visitors enjoyed traditional Chinese performances and participated in interactive activities like making lacquer fans.
"When the fan comes out of the water, the colors are so beautiful, like an ink painting. I've only seen it in videos before, and being able to experience it here is amazing," said Dong Feifei, a tourist.
"The scenery was breathtaking along the way I climbed up. I also went to see the performance. The performers were so graceful," said Li Jiaxue, another visitor.
In Shuanghe town of southwest China's Sichuan Province, hundreds of cold rice cakes in flavors like brown sugar, watermelon, and pineapple were lined up on a hundred-meter-long table, tempting a thousand visitors to savor the traditional treats and experience the charm of local culture.
The Shuanghe cold rice cakes, with a history of over 120 years, are renowned for their chewy texture and smooth taste.
In Hunan Province, the Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park attracted both domestic and international tourists with its stunning natural scenery.
As night fell, the mountainside was illuminated with colorful lights, transforming the 999 steps into a shimmering bridge to "Heaven," which made the Heaven's Gate, a water-eroded cave, more majestic.
"I really like the view. Because you can see the hole is very big and all the lights are very amazing. It's really beautiful," said Clara, a visitor from France.
China's scenic spots buzz with activity during Labor Day holiday
