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In 2025, under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and with the support of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Consulate General of China in Dubai, the China Cultural Center in the UAE pursued innovation and organized a series of cultural exchange and tourism promotion activities, promoting mutual learning and exchange between Chinese and Arab civilizations. 2025 Highlights “Happy Chinese New Year” Series of Activities From January to February 2025, in cooperation with institutions including the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi, the Carcach Diplomatic Academy, Ferrari World, Umm Al Emarat Park, The Galleria shopping mall, and the Al Marmoom camp in Dubai, 12 celebration activities were held for the Year of the Snake “Happy Chinese New Year,” including a grand parade of Chinese new energy vehicles, a Spring Festival temple fair, a touring lantern exhibition, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and cultural performances, attracting about 40,000 local participants on site. 2025 “Arabian Travel Market” In April 2025, the Center organized a delegation of 130 members consisting of 7 tourism authorities from 13 destinations in China and 26 tourism-related enterprises, under the theme of “Nihao!China,” to jointly participate in the 2025 Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai. “519 China Tourism Day” Series of Activities Around China Tourism Day in May 2025, the Center cooperated with Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, the UAE Chinese Language Teaching “Hundred Schools Project,” and the Sharjah Ladies Club to hold the “Meet China Blue” exhibition and experience workshop, the workshop “Stories of Civilization Exchanges in the Forbidden City,” and the China Culture and Tourism Festival, bringing China’s cultural and tourism resources into mainstream art museums, primary and secondary school campuses, and clubs in the UAE. “Tea for Harmony” · Tea Gathering Event In May 2025, the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Center held the “Tea for Harmony” · Tea Gathering event at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation. “Nihao!China” UAE Online Influencers’ Trip to China From May 26 to June 4, 2025, to support China’s announcement of full visa-free coverage for GCC countries, the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Center organized the “Nihao!China” UAE Online Influencers’ Trip to China. Six online influencers visited Shanghai, Suzhou in Jiangsu, Anji in Zhejiang, and Beijing, sparking widespread attention on overseas social media, and travel to China became a “hot keyword” in the UAE. China–Arab Stage Art Exchange In May and December 2025, the Sharjah “Quarter Century Theatre” in the UAE respectively cooperated with the China Institute of Stage Design, the Yinchuan Stage Art Society of Ningxia, and the Shanghai Theatre Academy to carry out China–Arab stage art exchanges. “Nihao!China” Joint Promotion for Inbound Tourism In June 2025, the Chinese Embassy in Bahrain and the Center held a “Nihao!China” Bahrain pop-up tourism promotion event at the City Center shopping mall in Manama. From November to December 2025, the Center, together with Emirates Airline, held the “Nihao!China” Winter Tourism UAE Online Promotion Event. “A Time to Share” China Culture Week Activities In September 2025, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, activities including a comprehensive acrobatic performance from Dezhou, Shandong, a comprehensive presentation of culture and tourism from Chengdu, and a violin solo concert by Lü Siqing were organized, with Chinese and Arab people celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival together. 2025 China–Gulf Arab Countries Tourism Exchange Event In September 2025, support was provided for holding the first “China–Gulf Arab Countries Tourism Exchange Event” in Dubai. A total of 136 buyers and suppliers from China and Gulf Arab countries participated. With the theme of “Nihao!China,” the event carried out two-way displays of tourism resources and business negotiations. China as Guest Country of Honor at the UAE National Festival of Tolerance and Coexistence In November 2025, the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence invited China to participate as the Guest Country of Honor in the 7th “Festival of Tolerance and Coexistence.” The ethnic dance performance by Quanzhou Normal University organized by the Center and the Chinese cultural booth became highlights of the event. Chinese Film Screenings Throughout 2025, support was provided for the theatrical release of “Nezha 2” in the UAE; the film “The Musician” was screened 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; the 7th UAE China Film Week was held in Dubai, during which four Chinese films including “Little Monsters of Langlang Mountain” were screened in Dubai. Gulf Travel Operators’ Trips to China for Events and Familiarization Tours In October 2025, support was provided for the Dubai Office of Air China to organize UAE travel operators to visit Chongqing and Sichuan. In December 2025, the Center organized a delegation of travel operators from Gulf countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait to travel to Hainan to attend the 2025 China International Travel Mart and participate in a familiarization tour. Once again, thank you for your attention and support for the China Cultural Center in the UAE, and Happy New Year!

On December 19, the 2025 China International Travel Mart, hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, opened in Haikou City, Hainan Province. More than 1,000 travel operators and representatives from 101 countries and regions attended the event. The China Cultural Center in the UAE and Emirates Airline jointly invited a delegation of seven travel operators from Gulf countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait to attend the event in Hainan. During the event, they participated in multiple special promotion sessions and more than 100 one-on-one professional business meetings. The travel operators expanded their networks of local ground-handling agencies, hotels, and attraction suppliers in areas such as holiday tourism, MICE tourism, and business clients, adding more options for further developing inbound China tourism products. During the pre-event familiarization trip in Hainan, the travel operators visited Qionghai, Wanning, Sanya, and Haikou, focusing on understanding local hotels, restaurants, and transportation conditions, and established contacts with multiple local suppliers in Hainan. In preparation for this travel mart, the UAE-based Al-Rais travel company specifically updated its tourism products in November for destinations in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Hong Kong. Emirati travel blogger Abdullah, who participated in the online influencer trip to China in May, specially posted on his social media the article “Six Essential Apps for Traveling to China,” addressing issues related to payment, data, communication, transportation, navigation, translation, and dining. Since China announced in May 2025 the full visa-free coverage for Gulf countries, enthusiasm for traveling to China from Gulf countries has continued to rise. In 2026, the China Cultural Center in the UAE will further carry out online and offline promotions, as well as familiarization trips for travel operators and online influencers, to promote sustained growth in Gulf countries’ enthusiasm for traveling to China.

On December 9, 2025, the exhibition “Transcending • Connecting • Coexisting: Stage Art for the World” grandly opened at the Quarter Century Theatre in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The exhibition is jointly organized by the Shanghai Theatre Academy and the Sharjah Quarter Century Theatre, and co-organized by the Department of Stage Art of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, the Shanghai Municipal Strategic Innovation Team for “AI + Performing Arts,” and the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy of the United Arab Emirates. Under the theme of “Transcending • Connecting • Coexisting,” the exhibition aims to showcase the Shanghai Theatre Academy’s 80 years of academic accumulation and practical exploration in the field of theatrical arts. Held at the Quarter Century Theatre in Sharjah, the exhibition reflects the cultural integration achieved through the crossing of eras and space. The exhibition is not only a vivid retrospective of the history of theatrical performances, but also a dynamic presentation of the development trajectory of Chinese theatrical education concepts — from the experimental explorations of early theatrical performances to the vigorous development of modern digitally and intelligently innovative performing arts education — fully demonstrating the richness, diversity, and profound heritage of Chinese stage art. Exhibition Space The exhibition is divided into three spaces. Exhibition Hall 1 — Flowing scrolls, like agile messengers of time, gently narrate stage art stories that transcend time and space. Visitors are able to fully appreciate the profound aesthetic reflections on theatrical art by creators from different eras, disciplines, and backgrounds, and truly experience the humanistic sentiments embodied within. Image: Exhibition Hall 1 Exhibition Hall 2 — A semi-immersive visual space has been meticulously created to jointly explore the brand-new artistic expression of “AI + Performing Arts” in the theater of the future, bringing about intense interactions among new ideas, new concepts, new forms, new methods, and new languages. Image: Exhibition Hall 2 Image: Guests viewing outstanding student works of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and the online museum in Exhibition Hall 2 Exhibition Hall 3 — Stage art works from theatrical performances are extended from static display to interactive experience, guiding us to embark on a new journey of exploration in the field of performing arts, and jointly witnessing world stage art moving toward a more brilliant and splendid future. Image: Exhibition Hall 3 Image: Selected exhibited works in Exhibition Hall 3 Source: Department of Stage Art, Shanghai Theatre Academy

Source: Official Website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

On December 3, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a notice on the release of the “Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Industry.” The full text is as follows: Notice of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Administration of China on Issuing the “Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Industry” Culture and Tourism Departments (Bureaus) of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, the Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, all subordinate institutions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, overseas China Cultural Centers, tourism offices abroad, regional administrations of the civil aviation industry, transport (general) airlines, service guarantee companies, airport companies, and all units under the Civil Aviation Administration: The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Administration of China have formulated the “Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Industry.” It is hereby issued to you. Please conscientiously implement it. This notice is hereby given. Ministry of Culture and Tourism Civil Aviation Administration of China November 28, 2025 Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Industry To promote the integrated development of culture and tourism and the civil aviation industry, further expand development space, and unleash consumption vitality, this Action Plan is formulated. I. General Requirements Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and fully implementing the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Second, Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, efforts shall be made to promote deep integration and two-way empowerment between culture and tourism and the civil aviation industry, enrich new culture-and-tourism experiences, stimulate new consumption potential, and cultivate new drivers of economic growth, so as to better meet the people’s growing needs for spiritual and cultural life and for travel. By 2027, the level of tourism travel services shall be significantly improved, international and domestic tourism air routes shall cover a wider range, integrated products and scenarios shall become richer and more diverse, and culture and tourism and the civil aviation industry shall achieve deeper, broader and higher-quality integration, forming a sound development pattern in which demand drives supply and supply creates demand. II. Improving Tourism Travel Service Quality (1) Optimizing an elderly-friendly, barrier-free travel environment for seniors tourism. Airlines and airports shall be guided to upgrade elderly-friendly service measures tailored to the air-travel needs of elderly passengers, strengthen full-process service support, and be encouraged to provide services such as companion services for elderly passengers, rest areas, in-flight meals for elderly passengers, and priority seating for elderly passengers in waiting areas. A guideline for the planning and construction of barrier-free environments in passenger terminal areas of transport airports shall be prepared, and the upgrading of airport facilities to better serve the elderly shall be accelerated, so as to further improve the barrier-free travel environment. (2) Strengthening safe and convenient travel services for study tours. Airlines and airports shall be guided to provide convenience for study tour groups in such links as ticket purchase, seat selection, check-in, baggage check-in, security checks and boarding. Airlines and airports with suitable conditions are encouraged to provide fast-track group verification and passage services. Airports and culture and tourism enterprises are encouraged to optimize ground-transportation resources to provide convenient transfer services for study tour groups. (3) Enhancing a warm and comfortable flying experience for parent-child tourism. Airlines are encouraged to provide services such as family seat selection, children’s meal reservations, in-flight educational toys, children’s books and children’s audio-visual content, so as to meet the special needs of child passengers. Airports are encouraged to set up children’s play areas and parent-child interactive experience facilities in terminal buildings. Airlines and airports are supported in providing customized services based on the travel characteristics of families with multiple children. (4) Improving caring service measures for ice-and-snow tourism. Airports in ice-and-snow tourism destinations are encouraged to adopt heating measures in passenger areas under extremely cold weather conditions, give priority to the use of passenger boarding bridges for flights on routes with large temperature differences, add changing points, and provide services such as rental, sale and delivery of cold-proof clothing and heating supplies. Airlines and airports are supported in optimizing baggage-system equipment and facilities, improving the check-in and claim services for ice-and-snow tourism equipment, and promoting value-added “door-to-door” delivery services for ski and snow-sports equipment. (5) Further improving the level of facilitation for inbound tourism. Policies and measures aimed at improving the convenience of entry and travel for foreign tourists shall continue to be implemented, and publicity and promotion of “immediate tax refund upon purchase” departure-tax-refund services shall be strengthened. Major domestic airlines and hub airports shall be encouraged to improve facilitation services for boarding, entry and transfer, and to strengthen guidance and assistance for passengers coming to China on international flights. Foreign-language signage and way-finding facilities in airports shall be improved, and hub airports are encouraged to provide rental services for portable translation devices. Mechanisms to simplify procedures at hub-airport level shall be established, and the coverage of international through-check flight services shall be expanded. III. Optimizing Tourism Routes and Service Facilities (6) Enhancing the accessibility of domestic tourism travel. More tourism cities shall be incorporated into the air-transport service network featuring connection between trunk and feeder routes and linkage across the entire network. Airlines shall be encouraged to open mutual flights between regional airports of popular tourist destinations, circular routes, “air-express” routes and border-tourism routes. Airlines shall be supported in increasing flights based on peak tourism seasons and seasonal travel needs such as study tours, parent-child tourism and ice-and-snow tourism, and in launching themed flights in conjunction with major cultural and tourism festivals, exhibitions and events. Flights for

Starting from November 20, 2025, foreigners traveling to China may submit their arrival information online before entering China through the official channels of the National Immigration Administration of China, including its government website, government service platform, the “Immigration 12367” mobile app, WeChat/Alipay mini-programs, or by scanning the arrival-card QR code on a mobile device. Foreigners who are unable to complete the online submission in advance may, upon arriving at a Chinese port of entry, submit their arrival information online by scanning a QR code with their mobile phone or using on-site smart devices, or alternatively complete a paper Foreigners’ Arrival Card. The following seven categories of foreigners are exempt from submitting the arrival information: 1.Holders of the People’s Republic of China Foreigner’s Permanent Residence ID Card;  2.Holders of the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese nationals); 3.Those holding group visas or eligible for group visa-free entry; 4.Those directly transiting for 24 hours without leaving the port’s restricted area; 5.Those entering or exiting by cruise ship and returning on the same cruise; 6.Those entering through a fast-track channel;  7.Foreign crew members of cross-border transportation vehicles. Website for Arrival Card submission:  https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ QR code for Arrival Card submission: 

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