In recent years, in order to promote the scientific conservation and long-term sustainable use of global fishery resources, China has not only strictly implemented fishing moratorium policies in its territorial waters, but has also initiated voluntary fishing moratorium activities in certain international waters, setting a model for global marine ecological preservation through using innovative measures.

However, China's efforts are not always understood.

The Philippines and the US have consistently promoted negative narratives targeting China, leveling accusations of environmental destruction in the South China Sea and hinting at possible court action against China.

In a recent visit to the Philippines, the Global Times revealed that illegal fishing acts are evident in seafood markets across the Philippines, allowed by those people who smear China of illegally harvesting fish and sea life.

Despite existing law enforcement governing these illegal, destructive fishing practices, the lack of effective regulations still fuels the lingering of these practices in the Philippines, the Global Times found.
Endangered species on sale at Manila fish market

Dampa is one of the oldest and largest wet markets in Manila. Local Filipino vendors touted their fresh live groupers, snappers, and lobsters fishing from the South China Sea to Global Times reporters in simple Putonghua.

When the Global Times reporters inquired as tourists whether they could buy the endangered humphead wrasse, which has been banned in the Chinese market, the local vendor quietly led them to a secluded corner to show off his "rare goods" - a juvenile giant grouper with green and orange web-like patterns on its head.

There were no larger giant groupers available currently, only small ones on the market, he noted.

The humphead wrasse is a rare fish species which lives in and around islands across the South China Sea. It is one of the world's largest reef fish and is globally recognized as a rare species. In China, humphead wrasse is classified as a second-level protected animal. Illegal hunting, killing, purchasing, or selling of humphead wrasse can result in 5-10 years of imprisonment in severe cases.

A report titled "The Future of South China Sea Fisheries" released by the University of British Columbia in Canada shows that the populations of humphead wrasses and snappers in some areas of the South China Sea have declined by almost 100 percent over the past eight years alone.

However, in the Philippines, catching and selling these rare fish species is a quick way for some fishermen to get rich. Local vendors told the Global Times that the humphead wrasses they sell are caught near Palawan Island in the southern Philippines, carries a price of 5,500 pesos per kilogram ($336.48). For fishermen in the area with an average monthly income of only 3000 pesos, catching and selling this fish is a lucrative business.

Similar under the table selling is also seen in some other rare species in the South China Sea, with the most typical being China's nationally protected species, for instance, the giant clam, or tridacna.

A local source in the Philippines told Global Times that tridacna was available for purchase in an open wet market in the Philippines is still relatively rare as it is prohibited by Philippine law. However, if you find a black-market trader they will fulfill the need in their own way. "This phenomenon is particularly common in some provinces in the southern Philippines, where the government's regulations are weaker, and the illegal industry of poaching precious species is more accepted," the source said.

A report by the Wildlife Justice Commission notes that there has been a sharp rise in illegal harvesting of sea life in the Philippines since 2019. Most of the illegal hauls were shells that are stockpiled at coastal locations in Palawan, in open and apparently public spaces with little or no effort at concealment. Palawan is the only place in the Philippines where scientists have observed T. gigas clams in the wild, which along with Palawan's geographically remote location and access to the South China Sea, could account for it being a major stockpiling location.

According to the report, the market value of giant clam shells in the Philippines reportedly doubled to around 2,000 pesos per kilogram during the pandemic, providing local fishermen a greater economic incentive to snap up these giant clam shells.

Unfounded accusation in US institution's report

Although hunting rare marine species is common in the Philippines, the Philippine government, which should be responsible for a crackdown, was not criticized by Western countries that are usually keen on promoting environmental issues. On the contrary, several Western research institutions were even collaborating with Philippines to interfere in the political situation in the South China Sea, publishing ecological reports for the Philippine government to use as a tool to attack China.

In 2023, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) issued a report titled "Environmental Threats to the South China Sea." In the report, the Center claims that increased fishing, dredging, and land fill, along with giant clam harvesting in recent decades have taken a devastating toll on thousands of species found nowhere else on earth. Targeting China, the report argues that satellite imagery shows that at least 21,000 acres of reef in the South China Sea has been destroyed or damaged owing to Chinese activities. It further cites a report released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command (WESCOM), which blames Chinese maritime militia for the so-called severe environmental damage at Houteng Jiao and Xianbin Jiao in South China Sea.

According to scholars who are actually engaged in ecological surveys and research in the South China Sea, many conclusions in this report are based on little to know scientific data.

Chen Xiao, a professor at the College of Marine Sciences at South China Agricultural University, who has participated in China's ecological field surveys in the South China Sea on several occasions, told the Global Times that China has conducted ecological environment field surveys in the South China Sea for years, and he almost goes to dive and observe the coral reefs in the South China Sea islands and reefs every year. "The current widespread coral reef degradation issue is very complex, more are due to natural factors such as coral bleaching and outbreaks of coral predators caused by a rise in global temperature," he said.

Scholars from China and many other countries around the world have been paying close attention to the adverse effects of global climate change on coral populations worldwide.

"In recent years, the South China Sea region has experienced unusually high temperatures, leading to serious coral bleaching on some islands and reefs in the South China Sea. It has become a consensus in the academic community that climate change will result in large-scale coral mortality," Chen said.

However, ironically, climate change is directly related to carbon emissions, which the US has consistently refused to adhere to global agreements to control. Washington, however, has placed significant effort into actively hyping and politicizing ecological issues in the South China Sea.

Researchers involved in relevant studies told the Global Times that the causes of ecological damage in the South China Sea are complex, and that ecological conditions fluctuate. In the actual scientific research process, it is often difficult to pinpoint the specific reasons for ecological damage, and it requires countries in the South China Sea region to work together to address this issue. However, whether it is US or Filipino media reporting, they all bypass the scientific exploration process and directly blame China.

The Global Times found that although reports from some independent academic institutions in the West have repeatedly pointed out that the Philippines' lacking sound domestic fisheries protection laws and limited enforcement methods has led to severe damage to the South China Sea's ecology due to its extensive fishing activities, the report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the United States, based on ideology and national interests, only targets China and Vietnam for criticism, while completely ignoring problems in the Philippines.
Profiting from industrial chaos

In the Philippines, products labeled as "South Sea, wild, pure natural" are often the most favored by tourists from a number of countries.

Taking pearls as an example, Global Times reporters noticed that at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila that the counters specializing in selling pearl products were the most crowded places for tourists, with "wild pearls from the South Sea" prominently displayed. The price of wild pearls is almost five times that of cultured pearls of the same type.

Stable demand and high prices have led more and more Filipinos to turn to sea hunting. But at the same time, poor harvesting practices, limited technology, loose regulatory system, and destructive fishing methods means profits come at a heavy ecological cost.

The Philippines is a major fishing country, with much of its fisheries production consumed locally. Heavy fishing pressure has led to the decline of both municipal and coastal fisheries and destructive fishing methods such as poison, cyanide and blast fishing often occur in its coastal waters.

Sodium cyanide is a toxic chemical compound that many fisherman in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia (the largest exporters of tropical fish) crush and dissolve in squirt bottles to spray on the fish - and the reef and all the other marine life in the vicinity. Stunned, the target fish can then easily be scooped up. Philippines' live reef-fish exports are one of the biggest sources for the international market.

It does, however, kill the coral reefs where the fish breed and live. Still, impoverished rural fishermen, who are paid by the number of fish they catch, say they cannot afford to think of the future.

In addition, a fishing method that has long been outlawed in China - blast fishing - is also quite common in the Philippines. A Chinese fisherman who has been engaged in fishing operations in the South China Sea for many years told the Global Times that there is indeed a phenomenon of fish bombing among Filipino fishermen, though it's not that common.

A Chinese fisherman told the Global Times that he has encountered the cases in the Liyue and Houteng Jiao reefs located around Nansha Islands of China.

"Many Filipino fishermen use octopus boats to fish at sea. These fishing boats are not suitable for long-distance voyages, so blast fishing is more widely seen in nearby areas," the Chinese fisherman said.

Zhou Zhuocheng, a senior aquatic biologist from China Fisheries Association, believes that the lack of laws and regulations for the protection of wildlife indirectly allows for destructive fishing practices in the Philippines. The delay in the enactment of the relevant law in wildlife protection has been prolonged, leaving many fishermen ignorant. This will inevitably lead to a situation where Chinese fishermen are doing their upmost to protect rare species in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, but fishermen from countries such as the Philippines in the South China Sea are still hunting recklessly, which will only lead to the continued deterioration of the South China Sea ecosystem, he said.

"Previously, the Philippines enjoyed productive cooperation with China in the protection of rare species in the entire South China Sea, and both sides made good progress in the conservation of the South China Sea ecosystem. Unfortunately, these efforts have not been continued under the current Philippine government. As a researcher in the aquaculture industry, I feel deep regret over this development," Zhou said.

Online travel searches for Cuba have skyrocketed after Cuba announced a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens in early May.

Direct flights are set to resume from Friday. The surge in tourists' interest showcased an optimistic outlook for personnel exchanges and economic vitality between China and Cuba, analysts said.

As of Thursday, online travel searches for Cuba were up nearly 10 times month-on-month, according to data that Fliggy, a China-based travel platform, sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

Searches for flight tickets from China to Cuba skyrocketed more than 30 times on a monthly basis.

As the summer vacation - from early July to early September - for Chinese students approaches, Fliggy expects a surge of Chinese tourists going to Cuba, marking the first peak since the visa exemption for Chinese citizens was announced on May 4.

Tickets for direct flights from Beijing, China's capital city to Havana, Cuba's capital city, are on sale on some Chinese travel platforms. Such tickets cost about 7,800 yuan ($1,080) on travel platform Qunar.

The flights, which open on Friday, will operate twice a week. They were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rise of Chinese tourists, with their increasing spending power, is expected to boost Cuba's economic development, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"Businesspeople will also utilize the direct air route for easier access to Cuba and even destinations in Latin American countries, which will further support economic and trade activities," Zhou said, adding that the resumption of the direct flight showcases the willingness for personnel exchanges between China and Cuba.

Cuba's economy has been under pressure for a long time, given the US economic sanctions and blockade on the movement of people, said Zhou.

The potential for increasing personnel exchanges and commercial cooperation between China and Cuba is huge, which will boost Cuba's economic development, Pan Deng, director of the Latin American and Caribbean Region Law Center of the China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"More frequent travel and business visits by Chinese citizens can also be expanded to other Latin American countries if they also develop favorable visa policies for Chinese travelers and business personnel," said Pan.

The US unveils new tariffs on imports of electric vehicles, solar cells and other clean-energy products from China, in blatant protectionist move

Shenzhen, in South China's Guangdong Province, has constructed 362 supercharging stations for new energy vehicles (NEVs) as of April 30, exceeding the number of traditional gas stations, according to the local development and reform commission. The number of charging ports in the city has also surpassed that of gas pumps, reflecting the positive trend in Shenzhen's NEV market development and the effective operation of its charging infrastructure.

The increase in the number of supercharging stations has notably boosted the charging efficiency of NEVs. Statistics from the Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau of China Southern Power Grid show that in the first quarter, Shenzhen saw a surge in NEV charging, reaching 670 million kilowatt-hours, marking a 10.9 percent year-on-year increase, indicating a thriving market for NEVs in Shenzhen.

For a household NEV, it usually takes 7 to 8 hours to fully charge using a standard charging pile, 1 to 2 hours using a fast charging pile, whereas with a supercharging pile, it can reach 80 percent or more in just 10 minutes or even less, enabling a "coffee break, fully charged and ready to go" scenario, significantly enhancing the charging experience.

On June 29, 2023, Shenzhen debuted its first fully liquid-cooled supercharging demonstration station and officially launched the "city of supercharging stations" initiative. At present, the supercharging service network has been preliminarily established across the city, with most stations leveraging existing public charging infrastructure and strategically situated in major commercial centers, bus terminals, industrial parks, and other key locations.

Under a plan for NEV supercharging facilities, Shenzhen aims to establish a globally cutting-edge infrastructure and versatile service system for supercharging facilities by the end of 2024. The plan also emphasizes advancing the interactive mechanism for electricity demand allocation, hastening coordination among enterprises, technologies, scenarios, and beyond.

Data shows that by the end of 2023, the number of NEVs in Shenzhen has surpassed 970,000, with NEVs constituting over 60 percent of new car sales. By the end of 2025, the scale of NEVs in Shenzhen is expected to reach 1.3 million units.

The final visiting session of the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum was recently held in San Jose, capital of the Republic of Costa Rica. On the Russian side, the discussion was attended by Alexander Stuglev, CEO of the Roscongress Foundation, and Yuri Bedzhanyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Costa Rica.

“The first country in Central America with which Russia established official contact was Costa Rica. This happened in 1872. Over more than 150 years of relations between the countries, a strong bond has been built up. Today our diplomatic and trade relations are full-fledged and at a high level. We see great prospects for the development of cooperation in the spheres of tourism, culture, investment and business,” noted Yuri Bedzhanyan. 

The Costa Rican delegation included representatives of companies from the agricultural industry, digital technologies and tourism. More than 10 senior executives and managers took part in the SPIEF visiting session. The discussion touched on bilateral business relations between the countries and demonstrated the business development opportunities for Costa Rican entrepreneurs that SPIEF offers. 

Alexander Stuglev commented: “We see a mutual interest in cooperation, the creation of partnerships and the development of international cooperation between our countries. That is why we are here today to tell you about the opportunities that SPIEF offers to Costa Rican businesses. Today, the forum is a bridge for creating new ties between entrepreneurs, it helps participants to find new partners and create interesting projects aimed at strengthening mutually beneficial relationships.”

Representatives of the Roscongress Foundation told the guests of the event in detail about the thematic areas of the forum and their formats, and then moved on to smaller scale negotiations.  

The 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will take place on 5–8 June, 2024. 

The Roscongress Foundation is a socially oriented non-financial development institution and major organizer of nationwide and international conventions; exhibitions; and business, public, youth, sporting, and cultural events. It was established in pursuance of a decision by the President of the Russian Federation.

Asian currencies have come under pressure from a strong US dollar in recent days, with the yen at one point hitting a 34-year low against the greenback. The development raised concerns about another Asian financial crisis, and the impact on Chinese yuan has become a topic of discussion.

Amid other Asian currencies' volatility against the dollar, the yuan's performance demonstrates relative stability. Since the start of the year, the US Dollar Index has risen by about 4 percent, while the yuan has weakened by about 2 percent against the dollar at offshore currency markets.

But still, the yuan has remained relatively stable against other non-dollar currencies. According to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS), the CFETS yuan exchange rate composite index, which measures the yuan's strength relative to a basket of currencies, reached 100.43 as of end-April, a 3.09 percent increase from the beginning of the year.

Exchange rates usually reflect the economic fundamentals of each country. To a certain extent, it is the resilience of the Chinese economy, the country's effective monetary policy and investor confidence in China's economic prospects that have jointly offered a solid foundation for the yuan's exchange rate.

In 2023, the Chinese economy grew by 5.2 percent year-on-year. In the first quarter of 2024, the GDP saw an unexpected growth of 5.3 percent year-on-year, indicating a strong start to the year. 

First-quarter fixed-asset investment was up 4.5 percent year-on-year, with high-tech sector investments rising 11.4 percent, meaning China's economy continues to gain momentum, coupled with improved growth quality.

China's total merchandise trade expanded by 5.7 percent year-on-year in yuan terms in the first four months this year, official customs data showed on Thursday. Exports rose by 4.9 percent, while imports climbed by 6.8 percent.

With China's very strong economic fundamentals, the yuan's relative weakness against the US dollar is unlikely to bring big shocks to the Chinese economy or the country's financial market.

The yuan has been buttressed by the market operations and policy guidance of China's central bank, for the purpose of fending off risks of possible exchange-rate volatility and keeping the yuan at a reasonable equilibrium level against other major currencies. 

If anything, the yuan's recent performance in a volatile global currency market is the best proof that China can resort to effective policy tools to withstand external shocks and maintain the relative stability of the yuan.

The yuan's rate will still be subject to multiple factors, including the global economic recovery, changes in major economies' monetary policies and international geopolitical conditions. 

However, the overall policy tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability in the financial sector, which could also suit the currency market, indicates that the yuan's exchange rate is expected to remain basically stable at a reasonable equilibrium level.

Maintaining the basic stability of the yuan represents stability, while the internationalization of the yuan represents progress. No matter how the external situation changes, it is believed that this general direction for the currency will not change.

The stability of the yuan's exchange rate not only reflects the steady development of the Chinese economy but also creates favorable conditions for its foreign trade and overall economic transformation and upgrading. With the steady growth of the Chinese economy and the gradual opening-up of the financial market, a relatively stable yuan is expected to continue to provide a strong support for the development of the Chinese economy.

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As recent heavy rainfalls in South China’s Guangdong Province show no signs of stopping, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on Friday warned of another round of downpours set to affect the region as well as other parts of the country. Local traffic management departments have advised the public to be cautious of traffic accidents and landslides.

A blue alert for downpours was issued by the CMA, which said that the southern, eastern and central parts of the country will experience torrential rain from Friday morning to Saturday morning, as millions of people are about to embark on their return trip for the May Day holidays. 

Among the affected areas, Central China’s Hunan, Southwest China’s Guizhou, and South China’s Guangxi may have intense rains up to 100-150 millimeters. Some regions are expected to experience a maximum hourly rainfall of 40-60 millimeters, or even exceeding 70 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms, strong winds and hail, according to the CMA.

Eyeing the May Day holiday travel rush and challenging weather conditions, traffic management departments across the country have optimized their deployment of personnel to ensure smooth traffic flow, and spared no effort to prevent safety hazards. 

Considering the typical traffic patterns during the May Day holidays, a high volume of traffic for suburban outings and family visits is expected on Friday, leading to increased pressure on roads entering and exiting cities, suburban areas and tourist attractions. 

The traffic management departments have also issued safety warnings reminding the public to avoid traveling on routes affected by adverse weather. In the event of heavy rainfall, people must be attentive to the surrounding environment to prevent accidents including rear-end collisions, rollovers, landslides and falling rocks.

A fatal landslide occurred in the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Guangdong in the early hours of Wednesday, the first day of the five-day May Day holidays when the most road travels across the country were made. 

During a press conference, Meizhou authorities said that as of 3:30 pm on Thursday, the disaster had caused 48 deaths and 30 injuries.

It was the fifth official update on casualties since the landslide occurred, which saw the number of deaths and injuries rising from the initial 31 to 78.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing led officials in charge of relevant departments to the disaster scene to guide the rescue and disaster relief work, where he stressed sparing no effort in carrying out rescue and relief work.

Efforts should be made to repair the damaged roads and restore traffic order as soon as possible, said Zhang, adding that information should be released timely in response to public concern.

Most of the fallen vehicles were buried under the soil, and the amount of soil and the depth of the burial made it impossible to be discovered immediately, said the emergency management bureau of Meizhou city. Some vehicles caught fire, further complicating the rescue operation, they said. 

An official in Meizhou told the media that based on the comparison of vehicles entering and exiting the expressway, it has been confirmed that 23 vehicles were trapped. 

However, the final number of fatalities has not been confirmed yet, the official said, emphasizing that on-site search and rescue work is still ongoing.

Except for the landslide accident in Meizhou, there have been no reports of major road traffic accidents involving five or more fatalities nationwide as of 6 pm Thursday, China Central Television reported.

Skyscrapers fill the screen. Under the intensive high-rise buildings, Mac Candee and his friend walk on the street. "Today, we have arrived in Shanghai, China." They say, angling the camera to show a view of their surroundings.

Then, there come clips of Western media reporting on China, with some negative tones that overseas audiences have probably been very familiar with. Only seconds later, Candee reappears on the screen: He stands at The Bund in downtown Shanghai, and behind him is the Huangpu River glistening under the clear blue sky.

"We're going to be showing you if what you're told in the media and what you know about China actually match up with what life is like here," Candee says to the camera.

This is a four-hour video about Candee's Shanghai trip that he made after he had stayed in the city for six days.

Candee, a 31-year-old US travel vlogger whose accounts "WorldNomac" have some 2.5 million followers on various social media platforms, is among a surging number of foreign tourists coming to China after the country relaxed its entry policies in recent months.

2024 has become a remarkable year for inbound tourism, since China expanded its 144-hour visa-free transit policy to more countries. In some major transit stops and also tourist destinations, like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, visitors from different countries and regions carrying travel bags and cameras flood landmarks and popular restaurants in these cities. They have become witnesses of China's prosperous tourism market, and have provided some vivid, individual windows for the world to take a closer look at this big Eastern country.

1st time in China

Months ago, in preparation for his trip to the Philippines, Candee happened to see a YouTube video showing the process of doing a 144-hour transit visa, and learned that visitors from certain countries no longer have to go to an embassy or consulate for a tourist visa to China.

The video inspired Candee to add "China" to his itinerary. "I was like, Oh, I'm actually going to the Philippines. This would be a great time to also at least visit Shanghai and see what China is like," he recalled.

Candee had always wanted to visit China. He told the Global Times that China has always been a very interesting country for him with how massive it is, and how big of a percentage of the world's population is from China. "I wanted to get a small taste of what the culture was like over there," he said.

In his Shanghai trip vlog, Candee showed how he explored many aspects of the metropolis with his friends. They went to Shanghai's iconic places like the Bund, the Oriental Pearl Tower, and Jing'an Temple, and tasted lots of food including sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork bun), hot pot, and a McDonald's restaurant with localized food. They experienced the city's public transport from metro trains to the maglev, and talked to many local residents.

As the first stop for many overseas tourists' trips to China, Shanghai is "a melting pot for multiple cultures" in Candee's eyes. "It's a very beautiful city from the standpoint of there's so much modern architecture, but then you'll see temples built into the city as well, so you get a mix of old times and new times and modern living," he told the Global Times. Candee added that he also encountered lots of similar European architectural styles with a Chinese twist.

A frequent global traveler, Candee said that in Shanghai he didn't encounter massive challenges brought about by cultural differences. Some interesting experiences nonetheless gave him a unique angle to know about Chinese people.

During his stay in Shanghai, Candee went to the "marriage market" in People's Park, a regular matchmaking venue where locals look for spouses for themselves as well as for their adult children.

"I thought that was fascinating, that parents of Chinese people will go and essentially advertise all of their children's qualifications without a photo in order to look for a husband or a wife for them," he recalled.

"This, for me, was a big culture shock to learn about how they do that, and it was really cool to go and experience that."

Candee concluded that he likes Shanghai, as "there's so much to do there."

His love for this city was somewhat reflected in the length of his Shanghai trip video: four hours, the longest ever travel vlog he had ever made.

The length of the vlog seems not to be attractive in today's fast-paced era of hand-held devices. However, the video has attracted more than 200,000 views on YouTube.

"If you are crazy enough to upload a four-hour long vlog, I am crazy enough to watch it all," one commented under the video.

Candee felt great about this vlog.

"A lot of people decided to watch the full length of four hours, which is a large time commitment," he told the Global Times.

"This means the country [China] was very interesting, and [in this vlog] there were a lot of perception=changing moments," he noted.
Warming market

More foreigners like Candee coming to China indicates that, after four years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, inbound tourism in China has finally entered the fast recovery channel.

The Global Times learned from domestic travel platform Ctrip that the number of inbound tourists to China in the first four months of 2014 (including air and rail travel) has increased by 244 percent compared to the same period in 2023. The top 10 most popular Chinese travel destinations for inbound tourists include Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing. Inbound tourists mainly come from South Korea, the US, and Singapore, among others.

Inbound tourism has always been an important symbol of China's opening-up to the outside world, Jiang Yiyi, vice president and professor of School of Leisure Sports and Tourism, Beijing Sport University, told the Global Times.

Since 2022, China has taken many measures to further promote China's opening-up level, such as visa facilitation, international flights resumption, and more convenient payment for inbound tourists.

China's tourism industry is also undergoing a transformation. In the past, foreign tourists came to China mainly for sightseeing. Now, through the restructuring of the domestic industry system, China has provided more diversified products for foreign tourists. Foreign tourists can come for vacation, to participate in sports activities or events, such as marathons and skiing.

Tourists from Hong Kong and Macao can conveniently go to provinces around the Greater Bay Area such as Guangdong and Hunan for leisure vacations.

These policies and changes in product systems and industry structures come together and lay a very good foundation for foreign tourists to have more diversified choices, and it is the same with tourists from Hong Kong and Mocao, according to Jiang.

Data from flight tracker Umetrip shows that as of April 5, the number of inbound flights this year has exceeded 86,000, more than three times that of the same period in 2023, and has recovered to about 70 percent of the same period in 2019; the number of inbound tourists has reached 7.7 million, more than three times the increase compared to 2023, New Weekly reported.

As the inbound tourism market gradually heats up, Chinese travel agencies are getting busier receiving tourist inquiries, launching new inbound products, and developing travel routes during the traditional off-season. A shortage of English-speaking guides and lesser-known languages also occurred.

According to New Weekly, the daily salary of foreign language tour guides in various languages has generally increased. Taking the East China market for example, previously, one could hire an English-speaking tour guide for 500-600 yuan ($69-83) per day before the pandemic, but now it may cost 800-900 yuan; for guides of less common languages, taking Indonesian as an example, the fee can reach 1,000 yuan per day.

The COVID-9 pandemic had a significant impact on China's inbound and outbound tourism market, leading to disruptions in the industry chain and talent loss. However, the tourism industry is very resilient. With a good business model and development opportunities, talents will definitely come back, Jiang said.
Differs from Western narrative

So far, foreign nationals from 54 countries are eligible for the 72/144-hour visa free transit policy to transit to a third country or region via ports and cities in the Chinese mainland. China has also expanded its unilateral or mutual visa-free travel policies to more countries.

Following the new policies is a dramatic increase in the number of overseas vloggers visiting China. According to data by statistics platform Meltwater, during the first quarter of 2024, there were about 2,420 YouTube and TikTok videos containing key words like "China," "trip," and "travel" in their titles, five times higher than the same period in 2023.

With more global visitors uploading online their China trip videos with key words like "China is so safe," and "Riding with world's fastest bullet train," overseas audiences find that through these videos, they see a real, fast-developing China that differs from the one under the mainstream narrative in the West.

"I have friends who came to visit China 20 years ago, and they thought China is still the same as 20 years ago because they trust the media 100 percent," a YouTube user commented under a video of vlogger Alina Mcleod's trip to Southwest China's Chongqing.

"I have been to China so many times," the user wrote. "If you have not been to the same cities for 10 years, you will see there are big changes."

Mcleod, the 33-year-old Canadian travel vlogger with some 300,000 subscribers on YouTube, said that her recent trip to China had definitely changed her perception of the country.

"In North America there is a lot of negative press around China," Mcleod told the Global Times via email. But now after exploring the country in person, she feels that China is quite modern and beautiful.

"I was very impressed with how much technology and infrastructure they have built in the last few decades, and what a wide range there is of things to see and do in the country," she said.

Inbound tourism is a very good window for overseas tourists to "enter" China, get to know China and understand China, because only through this kind of close contact can foreigners know what the real China is like. If they know China only from reports in foreign media, then their understanding of China may be one-sided or fragmentary. Only after truly coming to China and seeing China's development with their own eyes can they truly see China's current achievements in all aspects, Jiang noted.
Candee talked about a major misconception that some Westerners may have on China.

"I think that around the world, a lot of people feel that if you visit China, you'll be under extreme surveillance and you'll be, you know, getting in trouble for filming," he said. "But my experience in Shanghai was that it was a lot less strict than I had imagined," he told the Global Times. "I filmed a lot. People were really friendly. I think overall everyone was welcoming and happy to welcome foreigners."

With beautiful memories of his previous trip to Shanghai, Candee said he wants to visit China again in the near future, and would love to have a local who shares more places with him.

"Hopefully that'll be within the next 12 months," he said.

At the end of Candee's four-hour Shanghai trip vlog, he walks along the Huangpu River under the clear blue sky, and smiles to the camera.

"In every country I've been to, especially ones that have intense perceptions about them, I've always found a completely different atmosphere than what the mainstream will share." he says. "For those of you who have made this so far into the video, you probably are seeing a different look at what China is like."