Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) — On Oct. 1, the first day of the eight-day holiday to mark China's National Day, a 70-year-old Russian man surnamed Nikolaev traveled to Manzhouli, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
"This is a birthday present to myself," said a smiling Russian tourist, showing his passport with a fresh entry stamp.
Nikolaev had long dreamed of visiting the neighboring country. When he learned last month that China had introduced a visa-free policy for holders of regular Russian passports, he decided to celebrate his 70th birthday in China, arriving just in time for China's National Day.
"I wanted to see the neighboring country with my own eyes. The visa-free policy made this the perfect moment," he said.
According to the National Immigration Administration (NIA) of the People's Republic of China, unilateral or reciprocal visa-free travel is now available to citizens of 76 countries, and transit privileges have been expanded to 55 countries. Passport holders from 55 countries, including the United States and Canada, can transit through China visa-free for up to 10 days before traveling to a third country.
Earlier this year, American YouTuber and internet streamer IShowSpeed captured the world's attention during a livestream from Chongqing, which garnered over 10 million views: "This is a cyber city!"
According to official data, from January to August this year, the flow of foreign tourists to Chongqing increased by 82.48 percent compared to the same period last year.
During China's National Day, Chongqing continued to attract foreign tourists, including Antonio from Spain. He was particularly drawn to the impressive monorail train running between the multi-story residential buildings.
"I'm fascinated by the way the city seems to rise in layers," he said, looking at the horizon, where towers cling to steep hillsides. "When the lights come on at night, it looks almost futuristic."
While Chongqing amazed people with its modern skyscrapers, Shanxi Province (Northern China) offered travelers to explore centuries-old wooden pagodas and temples.
Renowned for its ancient structures, numbering over 28,000, the province has become even more popular thanks to the phenomenal video game “Black Myth: Wukong,” inspired by the classic Chinese literary masterpiece “Journey to the West.”
In Taiyuan City, capital of Shanxi Province, Spanish tourist Sergio, a fan of ancient architecture, was touched by an unexpected display of warmth during the Mid-Autumn Festival when immigration officials presented him with mooncakes and a cultural brochure.
“What a surprise!” he said, leafing through a brochure to find one of the attractions he had planned to visit – Xiaoxitian Temple, or the Lesser Western Heaven Temple in Xi County, with its stunning 400-year-old sculptures.
According to official data, from October 1 to 7, the tourist flow to Xi County exceeded 93,000 people, which is equivalent to the entire population of the county.
According to the General Administration of Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, during the 8-day holiday to celebrate the National Day of the People's Republic of China, which this year coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiujie or Moon Festival), the average daily inbound and outbound passenger traffic in China is expected to reach 2 million person-times. -0-
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