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On November 25, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism released the mascot “Lucky Horse” for the 2026 “Happy Chinese New Year.” The “Lucky Horse” draws its design inspiration from the Eastern Han bronze galloping horse — “Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow” unearthed in Wuwei, Gansu. It adopts the mane decoration style of the Tang Dynasty’s piebald horses, uses Chinese red as the main color, and is embellished with classic traditional patterns such as auspicious cloud motifs and ruyi motifs, reflecting the warm and festive atmosphere of the Chinese Spring Festival. The image of the “Lucky Horse” was designed by the mascot design team of the Central Academy of Fine Arts for “Happy Chinese New Year.” China Tourism Group is responsible for the market development of the mascot and will successively launch cultural and creative products such as plush toys, blind boxes, and refrigerator magnets, as well as festival items such as Spring Festival couplets, red envelopes, and lanterns. The “Lucky Horse” image and related cultural products will be widely used in the 2026 “Happy Chinese New Year” events, bringing new highlights to Spring Festival celebrations around the world. The “Happy Chinese New Year” event is hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and has been held for 25 consecutive years since 2001. The “Happy Chinese New Year” mascots were officially introduced in 2023, using the Chinese zodiac as the core imagery to convey New Year blessings to the world.

From 14 to 16 November 2025, the 7th “UAE National Festival of Tolerance and Coexistence,” hosted by the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, was held at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi. The festival aimed to showcase the UAE’s spirit of diversity and inclusiveness and to promote cross-cultural exchange. China was invited to serve as the Guest Country of Honor for this edition. UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence Sheikh Nahyan and Zhang Yiming, Chinese Ambassador to the UAE, attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks. Thousands of participants, including members of the UAE royal family, senior government officials, diplomats from various countries in the UAE, and local residents, were present. To celebrate China serving as the Guest Country of Honor, the opening ceremony featured the screening of the themed video “China and the Arab World Hand in Hand,” produced by the UAE side. The stage performances and the Chinese cultural booth organized by the China Cultural Center in the UAE became highlights of the event. The Quanzhou Normal University Art Troupe presented Xinjiang Uyghur dance “Meshrep,” Nanyin pieces “Wind Hits the Pear” and “Galloping Horse,” and the dance “Zanhua Circle.” Among them, the Chinese ethnic dance medley “China Dancing Together” closely echoed the festival’s theme of “tolerance and coexistence,” vividly showcasing the diverse integration of Chinese ethnic cultures and leaving a strong impression on the audience. Sheikh Nahyan took the initiative to take photos with the performers. Martial arts enthusiasts from Abu Dhabi also performed balanced and powerful martial arts demonstrations, showcasing the cultural meaning of Chinese martial arts that values harmony, earning rounds of applause. As the Guest Country of Honor, the Chinese cultural booth decorated with big red lanterns and Chinese knots was placed in the first position among all national booths and became a key “check-in spot.” Visitors actively asked questions about posters featuring Chinese culture and videos of tourist destinations. The interactive “Quiz and Win” area attracted enthusiastic participation. A Chinese calligraphy teacher wrote Chinese names for visitors on site, conveying friendship through brush and ink. The Chinese-style snack area served Chinese desserts and milk tea, allowing guests to taste oriental flavors, with Chinese milk tea becoming a popular item at the event. On 16 November, as the concluding program of the Festival of Tolerance and Coexistence, the Guest Country of Honor tree-planting event was held at the “Garden of Tolerance” in Abu Dhabi. Ambassador Zhang Yiming and Sheikh Nahyan jointly planted trees representing China and the UAE, symbolizing the everlasting friendship between the two countries and expressing the shared hope of promoting mutual learning and exchange among civilizations.

To promote winter holiday travel to China among tourists from the Gulf region, in November 2025, the China Cultural Center in the UAE, in cooperation with Emirates Airline, launched the “Nihao!China” Winter Tourism UAE Online Promotion Event. With the theme of “China Winter Inbound Tourism,” the promotion makes use of the official website, social media platforms, email and mobile applications of Emirates Airline, together with the four major online travel platforms in the UAE (Make My Trip, Musafir.com, Trip.com, Travelwings), to carry out multi-channel online promotion. The focus is on promoting the five destinations directly served by Emirates Airline—Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou—as well as other destinations accessible via connecting flights. This is the first attempt by the China Cultural Center in the UAE to place advertisements through online travel platform channels, promoting China’s winter tourism products to tourists in the UAE and the wider Gulf region. It explores using online channels to improve communication efficiency, expand customer acquisition pathways, and drive growth in Gulf-region tourist arrivals to China.

Thanks to convenient visa policies, direct flight routes and unique travel experiences, the number of Chinese tourists travelling to Middle Eastern countries led by the United Arab Emirates increased sharply during this year’s combined National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival Golden Holiday in China. According to data from Ctrip, from 27 September to 8 October, bookings by Chinese tourists travelling to Abu Dhabi increased by 229% year-on-year. In addition, data from travel data analysis company ForwardKeys show that from 27 September to 12 October, the number of Chinese tourists travelling to Dubai increased by 27% year-on-year. To deepen tourism cooperation with the Gulf Arab countries, China has achieved full visa-free “coverage” for all member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Citizens of GCC countries need only a passport to make a “spur-of-the-moment” trip to China, and many Gulf countries are experiencing a surge of “Travel to China” fever. In order to further enhance the Arab side’s attention to China’s inbound tourism market, since the beginning of this year, under the guidance of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Chinese Consulate-General in Dubai, the China Cultural Center in the UAE has carried out a series of tourism promotion activities for citizens of Gulf countries. From 28 April to 1 May this year, the China Cultural Center in the UAE organized a delegation of 130 participants composed of seven culture and tourism authorities and 26 tourism-related enterprises from 13 destinations in China—Beijing, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing and Shaanxi—to jointly participate in the 2025 Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai, UAE. The China pavilion, themed “Hello! China”, focused on “business matching and negotiations between Chinese and foreign travel operators”, highlighting three major features: “tourism + culture”, “tourism + aviation” and “tourism + technology”, and promoted China’s inbound tourism in an all-round way. Twenty-six Chinese inbound tourism-related enterprises conducted in-depth business matching and negotiations with travel operators from various Arab countries in the China pavilion, presenting the latest products and services for inbound tourism to China. They received more than 150 formal enquiries for inbound tour groups to China, some of which have already been converted into actual bookings. On 23 September, the “Hello! China” CHINA GATEWAY 2025 China–Gulf Arab Countries Tourism Fair opened in Dubai, UAE, with more than 160 representatives of Chinese and Arab travel operators and institutions in attendance. At the event, 11 Chinese inbound tourism suppliers and 37 buyer travel agencies from Gulf countries, as well as 42 Chinese outbound travel agencies and 46 travel operators from Gulf countries, carried out business negotiations centring on inbound and outbound tourism between China and Gulf countries, exhibition visits, cultural and museum experiences, and educational study tours. A seminar was held under the theme of “China–Gulf Region Tourism and Reception of High-Net-Worth Clients” to actively expand both sides’ markets and carry out business negotiations. Institutions such as the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Emirates Airline, Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla were also invited to participate. Since China began to implement unilateral visa-free policies in succession at the end of 2023, “Travel to China” has continued to gain popularity on overseas social media platforms, with travellers eagerly sharing their unique experiences in China. After China announced the implementation of unilateral visa-free policies for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, an online influencer delegation from the UAE visiting China, organized by the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the China Cultural Center in the UAE, visited Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing and other places, capturing a real and three-dimensional China through their lenses. Their content received more than 30 million views at home and abroad, triggering another wave of “China fever”. Emirati travel blogger Abdullah Mattar said on social media that the visa-free policies are a major boon for tourists from GCC countries, including the UAE, to travel to China. In June this year, the Chinese Embassy in Bahrain and the China Cultural Center in the UAE jointly held a “Hello! China” tourism promotion event at the largest shopping mall in Bahrain. Lion dance performances and tea art demonstrations attracted large crowds of people to stop and watch. Many in the audience said that the visa-free policies had turned a “trip to China” from a dream into a “spur-of-the-moment” reality. In September this year, with the support of the China Cultural Center in the UAE, the Chengdu Art Troupe from China successfully staged a special performance titled “Under the Same Moon, Though Miles Apart” at the Bahrain National Theatre. Sichuan-style dances, new Chinese folk music, acrobatic ball skills, Sichuan opera, martial arts and foot juggling took to the stage in turn, while interactive activities such as intangible cultural heritage sugar painting, dough figurines, paper-cutting and rope weaving fully showcased the profound heritage of Chinese culture and the unique charm of Bashu culture. In view of differences in food, culture, language and other aspects for citizens of Gulf countries, governments of Chinese tourism destinations and travel operators are actively cooperating to introduce more facilitation measures, so that “a spur-of-the-moment trip to China, travelling China with ease and joy” can become the choice of more people in Gulf countries. Ayed Al-Yami, Director of the Office of International Affairs at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment, said on social media: “A ‘spur-of-the-moment’ trip to China is something to look forward to. I am glad to see that relations between Saudi Arabia and China are becoming closer, and that cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges are becoming more convenient.” Jawad Al-Hawaj, President of the Bahrain–China Friendship Society, said that the visa-free policies have created opportunities for deepening friendly cooperation between Bahrain and China, and that the Society will seize these opportunities to enhance people-to-people exchanges between Bahrain and China. Ishaq Al-Azri, a professor in the Chinese Department of Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, said that it is foreseeable that the

To continue facilitating cross-border travel between Chinese and foreign personnel, the Chinese side has decided to extend the unilateral visa-free policy for France and other countries (see the list below) until 24:00 on 31 December 2026. In addition, the Chinese side will implement visa-free entry for Sweden from 10 November 2025 to 31 December 2026. Holders of ordinary passports of the above-mentioned countries who come to China for business, tourism and sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, exchanges and visits, or transit for no more than 30 days may enter China without applying for a visa. Persons who do not meet the visa-free conditions are still required to obtain a visa for China before entry. List of countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra, the Republic of Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain

The latest 2026 Skyscanner Travel Trends report (The Skyscanner Travel Trends report 2026), released by Skyscanner’s UAE site (www.skyscanner.ae), shows that among the top ten most popular travel destinations for UAE residents in 2026, Beijing, China ranks fifth, with a 57% increase in popularity, as UAE travellers are turning their attention to new destinations. Skyscanner comments that “Beijing blends ancient marvels with modern wonders, and with its reopening, new flights and strong appeal to cultural explorers, it has returned to the travel radar of UAE residents.” Skyscanner was founded by Gareth Williams in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in 2003, and is a travel metasearch platform that provides online comparison of flights, hotels and car rental services worldwide. As of 2019, the platform had more than 100 million monthly active users.

To implement the instructions of President Xi Jinping at the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China–Arab States Cooperation Forum on “achieving 10 million mutual tourist visits between China and Arab states in the next five years,” and to deepen tourism cooperation with the Gulf Arab states, under the guidance of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, the Chinese Consulate-General in Dubai, and with the support of the China Cultural Center in the UAE, the “Hello! China” CHINA GATEWAY 2025 China–Gulf Arab States Tourism Fair opened on September 23 in Dubai, UAE. More than 160 travel businesses and partners from China and the Gulf region participated. Distinguished guests at the opening ceremony included Zhang Yiming, Chinese Ambassador to the UAE; Wang Yi, Acting Consul-General of China in Dubai; Majid, Senior Vice President of International Affairs of Emirates Airlines; Mohammed, Chief of Staff of the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism; and Ahmed, Executive Board Member of the International Council of Museums. The 2025 China–Gulf Tourism Fair invited 11 Chinese inbound travel suppliers and 37 Gulf travel agency buyers, along with 42 Chinese outbound travel agency buyers and 46 Gulf tourism businesses. With the theme “Hello! China,” the event featured bilateral tourism resource showcases covering inbound and outbound tourism between China and the Gulf, trade fair visits, cultural and museum experiences, and educational study tours. Business negotiations were conducted to expand markets on both sides, and a seminar was held under the theme “China–Gulf Tourism and Services for High-Net-Worth Visitors.” Organizations such as the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Emirates Airlines, Oman Ministry of Tourism, and Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla were also invited to participate. Ambassador Zhang Yiming stated that the number of direct weekly flights and annual passenger volumes between China and Arab states continues to grow, and welcomed more Arab friends to visit China. He expressed hope that this tourism fair would seize the favorable opportunity of China’s vigorous promotion of inbound tourism and the global popularity of “China Travel,” focusing on new changes, new trends, and new directions in the international tourism market. He encouraged the launch of a series of “new routes, new experiences, and new products” to provide the people of Gulf countries with a “new window” to experience the achievements of Chinese-style modernization. Ahmed, Executive Board Member of the International Council of Museums, noted that this tourism fair marks an important step in strengthening cultural and tourism ties between China and Gulf countries. He called for continued joint efforts to build a bridge for future cooperation. According to Chinese and foreign travel businesses attending the event, since the Chinese government announced in May 2025 the full visa-free policy for GCC countries, a “China travel fever” has swept the Gulf states. This tourism fair connected Gulf tourism boards, travel agencies, and buyers with Chinese destination management companies, hotels, and other tourism resource suppliers, further promoting tourism trade and cooperation between China and the Gulf region. On the evening of September 23, Chinese and Arab travel businesses attended a welcome banquet together. The Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism, along with the Chengdu Center for International Cultural Exchange, promoted Chengdu tourism to the participants. The event was accompanied by Chengdu’s characteristic cultural performances and intangible cultural heritage displays, marking the opening of the 2025 UAE “Sharing the Moon Across Borders—Chinese Cultural Week.” Performances such as dance, martial arts, acrobatics, and face-changing, together with demonstrations of traditional crafts such as rattan weaving, dough modeling, sugar figures, and Chinese knotting, inspired confidence among travel businesses in promoting two-way tourism and cultural exchange.

On September 1, the Embassy of China in the UAE, supported by the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation and organized by the China Cultural Center in the UAE, hosted a film reception in Abu Dhabi to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. With the theme of “Remember History, Honor the Martyrs, Cherish Peace, and Build the Future,” the event featured the screening of the film The Composer. The film’s creators and renowned actor Hu Jun specially recorded video messages to extend their congratulations. Ambassador Zhang Yiming and his wife, representatives from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, envoys from more than ten countries including Kazakhstan, as well as over 600 guests including UAE friends from all walks of life, Chinese enterprises, and overseas Chinese attended the reception. In his speech, Ambassador Zhang noted that the film The Composer tells the moving story of Chinese musician Xian Xinghai, who, while stranded in Almaty, continued to compose songs of resistance that inspired people to fight against fascism. History and reality both remind us that all nations must shoulder the shared responsibility of safeguarding peace. Today, at the SCO Summit in Tianjin, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative, pointing the way forward for improving global governance. China and the UAE are both builders of world peace, contributors to global development, and defenders of international order. China stands ready to work together with the UAE to uphold multilateralism with concrete actions and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. The audience was deeply moved by the film, with many shedding tears. They expressed that the film allowed them to truly feel the priceless value of peace, which must be cherished all the more. An exhibition of photos themed on the War of Resistance was also held at the venue, attracting many guests to stop and view. The event was covered by China Media Group, People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, and other major outlets.

Event Preview Time Together Across the Globe —— 2025 UAE “Chinese Cultural Week” Mid-Autumn Acrobatics Gala Event Introduction “Time Together Across the Globe” is a global Mid-Autumn Festival celebration brand event launched by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2017. It explains to people around the world the cultural connotations of reunion, harmony and happiness embodied in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and demonstrates the Chinese nation’s views on family affection, family and values. This year, under the guidance of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Arab Emirates and the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, the Chinese Cultural Center in the UAE will join hands with the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Dezhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism to organize the Dezhou Acrobatic Troupe to present a comprehensive acrobatic gala. The gala includes programs such as traditional plate spinning, high-altitude hoop diving, magic shows and face-changing. There are 12 programs in total, with a performance duration of approximately 90 minutes. Highlighted Programs 1、The thrilling Leaping Over the Dragon Gate – Hoop Diving: Performers will leap over hoops more than 2 meters high. 2、The steady and agile Jasmine Flower · Plate Spinning. 3、The ever-changing Legend of Illusory Faces · Face-Changing. 4、Classic programs such as the two-person act (combining strength and grace), contortion, and diabolo. Every wonderful moment on stage is the result of the performers’ years of hard training. The entire performance is full of Chinese cultural charm and visual impact, which will leave the audience with unforgettable Mid-Autumn memories. In addition, the on-site activities include not only rich sessions such as hand-made mooncake tasting, China-UAE calligraphy exchanges and tea ceremony performances, but also opportunities to experience intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and watch the show. This immersive experience allows attendees to feel the traditional folk customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival and the warm atmosphere of reunion. Just in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival, seats are limited. We sincerely invite you to book tickets in advance to enjoy this brilliant acrobatic art gala together. Ticketing Information Dubai Venue Date: September 26, 2025, 20:00Venue: Zabeel Theatre, DubaiAge Restriction: 6 years old and aboveTicketing Link: https://dubai.platinumlist.net/event-tickets/99863/mid-autumn-festival-a-moonment-to-remember-time-together-across-the-strait-at-zabeel-theatre-dubai （Scan to Buy Tickets） Abu Dhabi Venue Date: September 27, 2025, 20:00Venue: Cultural Foundation Abu DhabiTicketing Link: https://abu-dhabi.platinumlist.net/event-tickets/100131/mid-autumn-festival-a-moonment-to-remember-chinese-dezhou-acrobatics （Scan to Buy Tickets）

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the Embassy of China in the UAE, together with the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation and the China Cultural Center in the UAE, will host a film reception on Monday, September 1, 2025, at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation Theatre, screening the film The Composer. This will mark the film’s first public screening in an Arab country. The film tells the story of the renowned Chinese composer Xian Xinghai during World War II. He traveled from Yan’an to the Soviet Union to complete the post-production of the documentary Yan’an and the Eighth Route Army. Due to the war, he eventually arrived in Almaty, where he composed celebrated works such as National Liberation, The Sacred War, and Man Jiang Hong. He also created the symphonic poem Amangeldy, inspired by the Kazakh national hero, which greatly encouraged the fight against fascism and was warmly received by the local people. We sincerely invite friends from all walks of life to attend the film reception. Please reserve your seats by sending an email to the address below, indicating your name, workplace, and number of tickets required (maximum of 3 per person). Free electronic tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to limited availability, we kindly ask for your understanding if your reservation cannot be fulfilled. rememberhistory0901@gmail.comVenue: Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation TheatreTime: September 1, 2025, 15:45