China Commits to Promote Peace Despite Ukrainian Politician Claims to Help US Fight Against China

On February 26, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson responded to Oleksiy Goncharenko’s claim in a regular press conference. Goncharenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, said in an interview recently that Kiev is ready to support the US in a fight against China, North Korea, Iran, or any other country. ” One important lesson from the Ukraine crisis is that bloc confrontation cannot bring security,” said the spokesperson Mao Ning. Mao stressed that China “will continue to play a constructive role” in resolving the crisis for being a “responsible major country”.

The response aligns with the statement made by China’s top diplomat. Wang Yi, head of the Foreign Ministry, met with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba earlier on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Notably, Wang appreciated again the Ukrainian side for helping Chinese nationals evacuate in the emergency two years ago, saying the Chinese people will never forget. Wang also stressed that China doesn’t sell lethal weapons to the parties involved, and committed that the country will continue to play “a unique constructive role in promoting peace”, which is credited with its close relations with Russia and is irreplaceable by the more confrontational Western countries. Despite Goncharenko’s aggressive provocation recently, China has insisted on its position of restoring peace “as long as there is a glimmer of hope”, as Wang said.

South Korean Tourists to China Increases Over 900% as Travel Demand Rebounds

According to China’s state media reports on February 26, the number of South Korean tourists visiting China last month exceeded 140,000, marking a staggering 908% increase compared to the same period last year. As reported by South Korea’s Yonhap, China ranks among the top four preferred tourist destinations for travelers. Data from the Chinese travel platform Ctrip also reveals that Korean tourists ranked third in tourism orders during the Spring Festival holiday period in early February. To meet the growing demand of Korean tourists visiting China, various South Korean airlines are gradually resuming previously suspended routes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korean tourists have shown a particular fondness for Zhangjiajie, a city known for its mountainous geopark with pillar-like formations. According to data from a South Korean travel agency, since the beginning of this year, consumers under the age of 60 accounted for 66% of the bookings for Zhangjiajie tourism products. The city’s official statistics indicate that in 2023, Zhangjiajie received 687,400 inbound tourists, with over 280,000 of them coming from South Korea, accounting for 41% of the total number.

Besides natural attractions like Zhangjiajie, there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for urban tourism and recreation, with more Korean tourists choosing to visit cities such as Shanghai and Qingdao which are relatively close to South Korea. Yet, with the further progress of the visa-free policy for entry into Hainan, the southernmost island province of China, travel packages in the region have garnered significant attention from South Korean tourists.