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To celebrate the World Badminton Day 2026, the “NIHAO! CHINA” UAE Youth Clubs Friendly Tournament was successfully held in Dubai, UAE, on July 5. H.E. Noura Al Jasmi, President of the UAE Badminton Federation, and Jaffer Ebrahim, Badminton World Federation (BWF) Dubai Badminton Development Manager, attended the event. The main competition featured two categories: men’s singles and women’s singles. The UAE Badminton Federation brought together 41 Emirati young athletes from seven emirates, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, and appointed 12 referees and tournament supervisors to participate in the event’s organization. The tournament was held under the title of “NIHAO! CHINA” and supported by the China Cultural Center in the UAE, which encouraged the winning athletes to visit China. After four hours of fierce competition, UAE athletes Mayed Tariq and Hayat Khalifah claimed the men’s singles and women’s singles titles respectively and received the “NIHAO! CHINA Journey” Grand Prize supported by the China Cultural Center in the UAE. The 2026 UAE Youth Badminton Special Olympics Joint Friendship Tournament was also held concurrently, with 20 UAE Special Olympics youth badminton athletes participating and demonstrating their determination, resilience and perseverance. (Photo of award presenters and women’s singles winners) (Photo of award presenters and men’s singles winners) (Photo of award presenters and some participating athletes) The tournament combined the “NIHAO! CHINA” tourism promotion campaign with the youth badminton development initiative actively promoted by the UAE government. Through the badminton friendship tournament platform, the event encouraged young Emiratis to strive for championship titles while pursuing the opportunity to visit China and experience Chinese culture, helping more UAE youth better understand and appreciate China. The tournament was jointly organized by the UAE Badminton Federation and WeMet Sport Club, with support from the Badminton International Club Alliance (BICA), and received special support from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai and the China Cultural Center in the UAE. (Photo of exciting moments during the competition)

To further promote cultural exchange between the People’s Republic of China and the United Arab Emirates, deepen young people’s understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, society, and development, and encourage artistic creativity through calligraphy and painting, the China Cultural Center in the UAE is pleased to announce the launch of the 2026 UAE “Nihao! China” Youth Calligraphy & Painting Competition.  Competition Theme: Nihao! China Participants are invited to create original artworks inspired by one of the following themes: Competition Timeline Eligibility The competition is open to non-Chinese students currently residing and studying in the United Arab Emirates. Competition Categories Age Groups Artwork Categories Awards Awards will be presented separately for each category based on age group and submission type. (4 winners from each of the three categories within the 12–18 age group) (3 winners from each of the 6 competition categories) (6 winners from each of the 6 competition categories) (10 winners from each of the 6 competition categories) Submission Requirements Submission Method Participants are required to complete the online registration form and upload their artwork through the following link: Registration Link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/KzyGB5mKqd QR code： File Naming Format Please name your artwork file using the following format: Participant Name + Artwork Title Example: Ahmed Al Mansoori – My Dream of China Enquiries For further information, please contact Oriental Wise Education Institute Abu Dhabi: Email: mandarin@orientalwisechinese.com This event is hosted by the China Cultural Center in the UAE and organized by Oriental Wise Education Institute Abu Dhabi. We warmly welcome young artists across the UAE to participate and share their creativity, imagination, and artistic interpretations of China through this exciting cultural competition.

“Tea for Harmony”·Yaji Cultural Salon 2026 in the UAE was held in Abu Dhabi on May 20, 2026. H.E.Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence of the UAE, Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman of Rotana Hotel Group; Mishal  Kanoo, Chairman of The Kanoo Group; H.E.Asma Al Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary of  the Ministry of Culture of the UAE; Mohammed Theyab Alahbabi, Director of the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism of the UAE; Khalid Askar, Director of the Scientific Research Department of  the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the UAE; Fatima, Deputy Director of the East Asia Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE; as well as diplomatic envoys to the UAE from many countries and guests from various sectors, totaling more than 130 people, attended the event. With tea as the medium, they witnessed tolerance and coexistence in a cup of clear tea, and experienced harmony and shared growth in a wisp of mellow fragrance. In his speech, Zeng Jixin, China’s ambassador to the UAE, said that Chinese tea culture, after thousands of years of history, has reached the world and is loved by people in the UAE and other countries. It has become a bridge for exchanges between Chinese and foreign civilizations, conveying the value pursuit of harmony in diversity. The “Tea for Harmony” event aims to use tea as a medium and build friendships with friends from the UAE, enhance the friendship between the peoples of the two countries, and promote dialogue, inclusiveness, and mutual learning among China, the UAE, and countries around the world. The event opened with the classic Chinese folk music “Rising Step by Step,” performed by the folk music group of the China Cultural Center in the UAE. Afterwards, teenagers from China and the UAE recited the tea culture classic “The Classic of Tea,” demonstrating the simplicity, depth, and elegance of Chinese tea culture. Chinese tea masters who have long promoted Chinese culture in the UAE introduced the development history and production techniques of Chinese tea to the guests in accessible language, and guided everyone to personally experience the etiquette of tasting Chinese tea. During the session “Meeting the Greater Bay Area of China in the UAE: Let’s Yum Cha Sometime,” Chen Shangwen, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai, introduced the “yum cha” culture of China’s Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in a dialogue with the host. He described scenes of “Let’s Yum Cha Sometime” with family and friends from his childhood, and shared the Greater Bay Area people’s food memories of shrimp dumplings and glutinous rice chicken. In addition to pearl milk tea and pineapple buns from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the organizers also invited a variety of distinctive multicultural beverages to appear at the event, including green tea from the renowned British brand AHMAD TEA produced in a factory in Jiangxi, China, Sri Lankan black tea, Gulf Arab coffee, Moroccan coffee, and South Asian karak tea, showcasing a harmonious scene of exchange and integration among tea cultures of different countries. In addition to the tea culture display, Guangdong Chamber of Commerce in the UAE also organized intangible cultural heritage displays, including Hanfu presentation, guzheng performance, calligraphy experience, sachet making, and lacquer fan painting. Guests actively took part in the interactive experiences and closely felt Chinese intangible cultural heritage and the Chinese lifestyle aesthetics embodied within it. This event was guided by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and jointly hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the UAE and the China Cultural Center in the UAE.

The 13th China-Arab States Stage Technicians Training Program, hereinafter referred to as the “Training Program” , opened on the 20th May 2026 in Yinchuan, Ningxia. More than 20 trainees from seven Arab countries, including the UAE, Qatar, and Morocco, will participate in an 11-day training and exchange program in Yinchuan and Guangzhou. They will study the latest achievements and experience in the innovative development of Chinese stage technology, jointly promoting China-Arab cultural exchanges and cooperation. It is reported that the trainees from Arab countries participating in the Training Program cover multiple professional fields of stage technology, including playwriting, lighting, sound, and theater management. Yi Yuping, President of Yinchuan Stage Design Society, said that the Training Program has invited well-known experts and scholars from China to give lectures, with content including theoretical training, practical exercises, and achievement presentations. During the training, the trainees will also go to Guangzhou to attend the 24th Guangzhou International Professional Lighting and Exhibition, visit equipment manufacturers, and learn about China’s achievements in the production and manufacturing of stage equipment. “During the training period, we have also arranged observational and exchange activities such as theatrical performances, theater visits, and professional forums. We hope that within the limited time, our Arab friends can fully experience the profound heritage of Chinese culture and China’s professional capabilities in the field of stage technology. Through extensive exchanges, we aim to promote in-depth cooperation between China and Arab countries in culture, tourism, economy and trade, and other fields,” Yi Yuping said. The China-Arab Stage Technicians Training Program is one of the key projects under the framework of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. It aims to promote in-depth exchanges and learning between China and Arab countries in fields such as stage technology, lighting, and sound; showcase China’s achievements in stage equipment and technology; and strengthen China-Arab cultural exchanges and cooperation. This year’s Training Program has been included by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China as a supporting activity of the 6th Arabic Arts Festival to be held in China in 2026. The project is hosted by the Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Ningxia, and organized by the Yinchuan Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television, and implemented by Yinchuan Stage Design Society. Since its official launch in 2012, it has trained nearly 1,000 professional technicians for Arab countries and facilitated China-Arab stage equipment purchase and sales contracts worth more than 10 million US dollars. “Through this platform, we have not only shared advanced technologies in the fields of stage, lighting, sound, and special effects, but also built a bridge for mutual learning between Chinese and Arab civilizations,” said Xuan Na, Director of the Division of International Exchanges and Cooperation of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Ningxia. She said that with the help of this platform, Arab trainees bring Chinese technology back to their own countries while also sending their children to study in China, continuously enhancing cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Arab states. Annam Saber, Director of Theater Training, Arab Theater Association, who participated in the Training Program, said that since the association signed a cooperation agreement with Yinchuan Stage Design Society in 2016, it has closely followed the progress and achievements of each Training Program. It has also continuously recommended outstanding young professionals from the Arab world to the Chinese host and organizer to participate in the program, absorbing and drawing on advanced Chinese experience in stage technology and modern stage design achievements. “During this Training Program, we will sign a new version of the memorandum of cooperation to promote deeper dialogue and exchanges between the two sides. We hope to continue carrying out practical cooperation in the field of stage technology equipment trade, open new windows, and create new opportunities,” Annam Saber said. According to Zhou Houjin, Vice Chairman of the China Entertainment Technology Association, in recent years, with rapid scientific and technological progress, China’s performing arts equipment industry has been demonstrating unprecedented vitality and responsibility in the international market: more than 70 percent of global stage lighting equipment is produced in China. At the same time, China’s key technologies in stage machinery precision control, intelligent lifting, heavy-load safety, waterproofing, sandstorm resistance, and long-cycle stable operation have reached an internationally advanced level. “Chinese technology has not only achieved a historic leap from ‘following’ to ‘leading,’ but has also shone brightly on the global stage. China-Arab cooperation in the field of stage technology has long gone beyond simple equipment trade and has yielded fruitful and practical results in the depths of cultural exchange,” Zhou Houjin said.

In April 2026, the China Cultural Center in the UAE held working consultation meetings respectively with Emirates Airline, Al Rais Travel Group in the UAE, and the Kanoo Group in the UAE, to jointly plan the 2026 joint promotion of inbound tourism to China. The Center expressed its appreciation to its UAE partners for carrying out joint promotions for two consecutive years in 2024 and 2025 targeting the Gulf Arab countries, including the UAE. These efforts included organizing online influencers to visit China, co-hosting the China-Gulf Tourism Fair, conducting joint promotions on online platforms, inviting travel trade professionals to visit China for familiarization trips, and participating in the China International Travel Mart. In 2025, the number of citizens from the six Gulf countries entering China exceeded 150,000, an increase of 100.78% compared with 2024. Among them, the numbers of Saudi and UAE nationals entering China increased by 110% and 113% respectively. The promotion of inbound tourism to China in the Gulf countries has achieved phased results. Rajeev, Senior Sales Manager of Emirates Airline, said that the China Cultural Center in the UAE has been the government tourism promotion institution that has worked most closely with Emirates Airline in recent years, with remarkable results. Emirates Airline is willing to further deepen practical cooperation with the Center, jointly organize more innovative and content-rich joint promotions and familiarization trips, and encourage more travelers from the Gulf and the UAE to visit China. Mahmoud, Senior General Manager of Business at the Kanoo Group in the UAE, said that with the support of the China Cultural Center in the UAE, the Kanoo Group has not only made progress in its inbound tourism business to China, but has also become more willing to explore cooperation with Chinese suppliers in fields under the Group such as shipping, machinery, and energy. Cultural and people-to-people exchanges have become a catalyst for deepening cooperation between Kanoo and China in various fields. He expressed the hope that the Group would continue to support the Center’s various cultural and tourism activities in the UAE in the future. Al Rais Travel Group in the UAE is Dubai’s largest outbound tourism group operator serving UAE clients. Mohammed Al Rais, the Group’s major shareholder and Executive Director, said that the doubling of the number of UAE visitors to China in 2025 was an outstanding achievement jointly created by tourism practitioners from China and the UAE, and that more than 80% of the increase consisted of tourists traveling for tourism purposes. Al Rais Travel Group is willing to continue cooperating with the China Cultural Center in the UAE, take advantage of the successful visit to China by UAE Crown Prince Khaled, promote more UAE tourists to travel to various parts of China, and hopes that China will continue to carry out broader, deeper, and more sustained tourism promotion and marketing activities targeting the Gulf Arab countries, further increasing the visibility of “Nihao!China”. According to the 2026 work plan, the China Cultural Center in the UAE will integrate online and offline resources across all channels, cooperate with airlines and tour operators from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other countries, as well as tourism enterprises from Chinese tourism destinations, and continue to carry out the promotion of inbound tourism to China in the Gulf Arab countries. The promotion will focus on scenarios such as premium shopping, leisure vacations, high-end wellness, ice and snow experiences, low-altitude consumption, cruises, and yachts. Through quality inbound tourism routes and international networks, it will tell China’s stories well to the Gulf Arab countries and enhance the international influence of tourism.

After a year of renovation, the new area of Phase I of Pop Mart City Park was unveiled on April 24 and will be open to visitors starting from April 30. This update focuses on the popular IPs “LABUBU” and DIMOO, with significant adjustments made to amusement rides, interactive games, and catering facilities. The new area is divided into three sections: Adventure Forest Market, LABUBU Warrior Fjord, and Lake of Clouds. Upon entering the Adventure Forest Market, visitors will see forest cabins of various shapes. Inside, 13 carnival games are set up, including ball throwing and water gun shooting, allowing visitors to choose freely according to their preferences. The market also introduces food and beverage brands such as Siyanzai Cart Noodles and Peet’s Coffee. As the highlight of this update, the amusement ride “Flying LABUBU” is located in LABUBU Warrior Fjord. It is actually a uniquely designed pirate ship. The entire pirate ship is themed on Nordic fairy tales. The hull is decorated with rough wood textures and Nordic-style totems, and at the bow stands a proud LABUBU elf, as if leading the crew through the waves. The pirate ship can accommodate about 40 visitors at a time. When the ship swings high or dives rapidly, screams and laughter rise one after another. Below the ship, staff clap rhythmically in coordination with specially customized LABUBU-themed music, creating an experience that is both thrilling and entertaining. In addition, the park has added new rides such as bouncing towers and drop towers, also themed around LABUBU, further enriching the adventure experience. The amusement ride “Flying LABUBU” is the core highlight of this update of Pop Mart City Park. The Lake of Clouds retains its original name, but the area has been completely renewed. The former pure white carousel has been upgraded to “Waltz on the Clouds.” This DIMOO-themed ride incorporates elements such as clouds, kittens, and white swans, creating a light and romantic atmosphere. The former pure white carousel has been upgraded to “Waltz on the Clouds,” attracting visitors to take photos and check in. At present, about 30 percent of the new area still remains partially unveiled, and it will not be fully presented until the summer holiday this year. The Vice President of Pop Mart and General Manager of the City Park stated that the reason for opening ahead of full completion is to coincide with the upcoming May Day holiday peak, allowing long-awaited park fans and more visitors from other regions to experience it as early as possible. Entering the newly updated Adventure Forest Market of Pop Mart City Park, visitors will see forest cabins of various shapes. Pop Mart City Park ticket prices: Source: Beijing Release

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized “deeply implementing the action to expand and improve the quality of the service industry” and “cultivating more ‘China Services’ brands.” Recently, the Ministry of Commerce, together with the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and six other departments, issued the “Policy Measures on Promoting the Export of Travel Services and Expanding Inbound Consumption” (hereinafter referred to as the “Policy Measures”). The measures propose building a national tourism brand, strengthening global targeted marketing, and continuously improving visa policies, so that more international tourists “want to come to China” and “are able to come to China,” and to promote the creation of globally attractive inbound consumption destinations. The “Policy Measures” apply precise and systematic efforts, injecting new momentum into the development of the inbound tourism market and enhancing the brand image of “China Services.” Travel services are the largest sector of China’s service trade, with imports and exports accounting for more than one quarter of the total service trade. Inbound tourism is a window to observe “China Services.” In recent years, China has continuously promoted visa facilitation, payment internationalization, and service standardization, significantly enhancing the attractiveness of inbound tourism and consumption. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that in 2025, China received 35.17 million inbound foreign tourists, an increase of 30.5% compared with 2024. Consumption by inbound tourists in China, including food, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping, and entertainment, is included in China’s travel service exports. According to the Ministry of Commerce, in 2025, the export scale reached 393.98 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 49.5%, 1.6 times that of 2019. From sightseeing check-ins to in-depth experiences, and from cultural tourism consumption to cultural resonance, “Travel to China” and “Shop in China” have become popular worldwide, enabling the world to understand the unique charm of Chinese culture while demonstrating the sincerity and strength of “China Services” with an open and inclusive attitude. The prosperous development of inbound tourism benefits from a series of policy support measures. The “Policy Measures” propose 16 specific measures covering seven aspects, including expanding inbound tourism consumption and facilitating inbound business activities, building a full-chain promotion system that enables tourists to come, travel smoothly, and spend comfortably. From orderly expanding the scope of unilateral visa-free countries to building the “Travel to China” brand, each measure focuses on key points of expanding inbound tourism consumption, making spontaneous travel to China a convenient choice for global tourists and opening broad space for “China Services” to expand in the global market. Rich and high-quality product supply is a strong support for the prosperity of inbound tourism and an important measure for “China Services” to demonstrate differentiated competitiveness. China has profound cultural heritage and diverse natural landscapes, providing unique advantages for developing inbound tourism. It is necessary to deeply explore cultural resources and create distinctive products such as intangible cultural heritage experiences and folk culture study tours, enabling international tourists to experience the depth and richness of Chinese culture through immersive experiences. It is also necessary to enrich industry formats, promote the deep integration of “sports + tourism,” “performing arts + cultural tourism,” and “wellness + tourism,” and develop new formats such as night tourism and rural tourism. At the same time, localities should be encouraged to develop特色 inbound tourism products according to local conditions, launch high-quality “multi-destination in one trip” routes, and promote integrated consumption plans combining “urban transport + attractions + accommodation + consumption,” to activate consumption potential through diversified supply and enable “China Services” to possess both cultural warmth and market competitiveness. To further tap the potential of inbound tourism, it is also necessary to continuously improve the quality of tourism services. At present, the needs of international tourists are shifting from traditional sightseeing to in-depth experiences and quality consumption, placing higher requirements on service quality. Efforts should focus on the entire process of “food, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping, and entertainment” to better meet increasingly diversified tourism consumption needs. In terms of language services, it is necessary to improve multilingual signage in scenic spots and promote multilingual versions of lifestyle service applications, ensuring barrier-free communication for international tourists. In terms of digital services, convenient functions such as intelligent navigation and real-time translation should be promoted to empower tourism experiences with technology. In terms of basic services, the level of foreign language services in key locations should be enhanced, allowing international tourists to experience convenient, comfortable, and reassuring “China Services.” The development of inbound tourism not only helps shape a positive international image and promote mutual learning among civilizations, but also drives consumption growth and industrial prosperity, playing an important role in cultivating the cultural tourism industry as a pillar industry. A report by the “Inbound Tourism” research group of the Institute of International Service Trade of the Ministry of Commerce Research Institute believes that with the upgrading of service consumption and the release of policy dividends, inbound tourism will enter a fast track characterized by “simultaneous improvement in quantity and quality and diversified momentum.” The inbound tourism industry will adapt to global trends of quality, experiential, and digital-intelligent cross-border tourism and accelerate toward a new stage of high-quality development. Facing new situations and opportunities, all policy measures should be effectively implemented to further increase the popularity of spontaneous travel to China, making inbound tourism an important window to showcase the charm of “China Services” and release the potential of service trade, and enabling it to shine more brightly on the global tourism stage. Source: People’s Daily

Starting from October 2026, Etihad Airways will gradually launch five major destinations in the Chinese mainland: Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou! Together with the existing daily flights to Beijing, Etihad Airways will cover six cities with 35 direct flights per week to the Chinese mainland, enabling passengers to travel easily to and from Abu Dhabi and explore China’s most dynamic cities. Source: Etihad Airways

On February 8, the 2026 UAE “Happy Chinese New Year” — Liuyang Fireworks Show from Hunan was successfully held in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. More than 200 friendly representatives from the tourism, media, and other sectors of China and the UAE attended the lighting ceremony, and over 15,000 local residents and tourists watched the fireworks display. At exactly 8:00 p.m., amid great anticipation, splendid fireworks lit up the sky over Marjan Island in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, a new cultural and tourism landmark in the UAE. The words “China,” “UAE,” and “Spring” illuminated the night sky. Chinese cultural performances and other rich activities were also held on site. Local social media influencers held the “Happy Chinese New Year” Auspicious Horse mascot and took photos in front of the fireworks. More than ten major local UAE media outlets and China Media Group covered the event.

The 2026 Dubai “Warm Spring Welcome · Happy Chinese New Year” Spring Festival Concert was held on the evening of February 8 at the Al Wasl Dome Plaza in Expo City Dubai. Oubo Qian, Consul General of China in Dubai, Najib Mohammed Al Ali, Executive Director of the Expo City Dubai Authority, and nearly one thousand guests from the business and arts communities attended the event. The Jilin Provincial Culture and Art Troupe and the Dubai Firdaus Orchestra performed together. Through a musical “dialogue” between the East and the West, they delivered Spring Festival blessings for the Year of the Horse to local audiences, allowing UAE audiences to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the Chinese Spring Festival. The concert opened with the lively and joyful “Spring Festival Overture.” With the accompaniment of the Firdaus Orchestra, Chinese folk music artists began with solo performances on classic Chinese instruments including the bamboo flute, erhu, guzheng, and pipa, and then jointly performed adapted versions of “Whipping the Horse to Hurry the Grain Transport,” “Horse Racing,” “Fishermen’s Song at Eventide,” and “Medley of Chinese Classic Folk Songs,” showcasing to UAE audiences the unique charm of traditional Chinese instruments and their perfect integration with orchestral instruments. Afterwards, the orchestra skillfully performed Chinese classic pieces such as “Jasmine Flower,” “The Yellow River Boatmen’s Song,” and “Yao Nationality Dance” using Western instruments together with Arabic instruments such as the oud and rababa, demonstrating the orchestra’s in-depth understanding and research of Chinese culture and arts in recent years. Finally, the concert concluded with festival classics “Joyful,” “Good News from Beijing Reaches the Frontier Village,” and the Arabic traditional piece “Longua Riad.” Chinese and Western instruments, as well as Chinese and Arabic instruments, blended perfectly in the classic repertoires of both sides, with rhythms complementing each other. Through a “dialogue” of instruments, the musicians created a classic work of mutual learning and exchange among civilizations, vividly interpreting the concept of “each appreciating its own beauty and sharing beauty together.” As a key event of the 2026 Dubai “Warm Spring Welcome · Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Parade, the concert was guided by the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, the Consulate General of China in Dubai, and Expo City Dubai, jointly organized by the China Cultural Center in the UAE, the Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Dubai Firdaus Orchestra, and hosted by the Jilin Provincial Center for International Cultural Exchange.