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Borneo Post
26-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Post-gaokao spending marks rite of passage for Chinese teens
Students celebrate after the exam at a national college entrance examination site in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province on June 9, 2025. – Xinhua photo BEIJING (June 27): As the plane touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport, 18-year-old Zhao Zhixing from east China's Fujian Province snapped a selfie from his window seat, marking the start of his first solo trip after the grueling national college entrance examination, or gaokao. 'After the intense pressure of high school, I want to relax by traveling and, at the same time, broaden my horizons by experiencing the charm of different cities,' said Zhao, who planned his post-gaokao trip to Beijing and Nanjing – over a week of sightseeing, theme parks and no textbooks – as soon as the exam ended. For millions of Chinese teens like Zhao, the end of the gaokao signals more than just academic relief. It ushers in a unique consumer trend known as the 'post-gaokao economy' as students and their families celebrate hard-earned freedom with a surge in spending on travel, electronics, lifestyle upgrades, and self-discovery experiences. This week, gaokao results have begun to roll out across the country, giving graduates even more reason to unwind and enjoy the summer break. Emotional spending spike Across China, industries ranging from tourism and consumer electronics to personal training and medical services have reported a spike in activity in the weeks following the gaokao, which is held in early June every year. According to data from Ctrip, bookings for travel packages departing between June 9 and June 11 rose by 88 per cent compared to the previous week, as many high school graduates chose to begin their trips immediately after the exam. Destinations such as Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Xi'an are attracting large numbers of student travelers, with many scenic spots offering discounted or free admission for this year's high school graduates. Retailers are also experiencing growth, with electronics ranking among the top purchases. Sun Jian, store manager of JD MALL in Chongqing, said that alongside popular items like smartphones, laptops and tablets, sales of learning devices, digital notebooks and wearable gadgets have risen by 40 to 50 per cent compared with the pre-gaokao period. Given the immense importance of the gaokao in Chinese society, both students and parents often turn to travel, shopping, or celebration as a way to find emotional release after years of academic pressure. 'My son enjoys gaming, so we promised him that if he focused on preparing for the exam, he could fully relax and have fun afterward,' said a customer surnamed Zhuang, who was shopping for a laptop at a store in Fujian's Quanzhou City. Zhuang added that he was willing to buy the best he could afford for his son, as it would also be useful for college. Style makeovers soar Beyond just spending, the post-gaokao period provides a glimpse into how today's youth are starting to explore their identities and passions. From solo trips and comic con visits to photography workshops and fitness classes, students are using the time to pursue their personal interests. A community gym in Beijing's Xicheng District has seen a surge in visitors this June. 'We receive numerous inquiry calls daily, and many new members are recent high school graduates,' a gym staff member said. 'They hope to use the summer for structured training to enter university better prepared both physically and mentally.' Zhang Qingxi, a high school graduate from Huangping County in the southwestern province of Guizhou, began driving lessons just days after the gaokao. 'I hope to get my license this summer,' she said. 'Once I have it, I plan to travel with friends and see the places I've only read about in books.' According to Zhang, nearly 100 students who recently took the gaokao attend driving lessons at her training center daily. Many students are also taking greater interest in their appearance and personal style. Wang, a hairdresser from Xi'an, said the number of students coming in for hair dyeing has surged since the gaokao, and to keep up with the demand, the salon has even extended its hours. 'Graduates often choose trendy and unique hairstyles, and some even bring in anime-style designs from comics for inspiration,' said another hair salon employee. According to data from Meituan, orders for vision correction surgery rose by 108 per cent in the first week after the gaokao, while orders for orthodontics and teeth whitening each saw a nearly 30 per cent increase week-on-week. From test takers to decision makers Like most post-gaokao travelers, Zhao planned his trip and handled all the bookings – from train tickets to hotel reservations – largely on his own. 'We don't know much about his plan. He's an adult and it's all up to him now,' said Zhao's father. ''Post-gaokao consumption' is not only a wave of youthful spending, but also an important window into the consumption trends among younger generations,' said Long Shaobo, professor from the School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University. According to Xia Ri, assistant researcher at Anbound, an independent think tank in China, high school graduates often seek novelty, quality and variety in their spending, which are traits typical of young people. 'As they gradually become independent decision-makers and key players in the market, their preferences are driving consumption toward greater personalisation and experiential value, accelerating consumption upgrades and product innovation,' Xia said. – Xinhua China gaokao national college entrance examination Xinhua
The Star
09-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Beijing airports see surging tax refunds for overseas travellers
The terminal building of the Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing. - Xinhua BEIJING: In the first five months of this year, the customs of two major airports in Beijing processed departure tax refund applications for overseas travellers totalling approximately 478 million yuan (about US$66.52 million), up 91.61 per cent year-on-year, setting a new record high for the same period in history, according to Beijing Customs. From January to May 2025, the customs of Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport handled a total of 12,180 departure tax refund applications from overseas visitors, marking a year-on-year increase of 147.01 per cent. During the same period, the customs of Beijing Daxing International Airport processed departure tax refund applications for outbound travellers totalling over 72.37 million yuan, achieving nearly 200-per cent growth year-on-year. The 240-hour visa-free transit policy has significantly boosted the number of foreigners visiting China, the municipal customs said. As China continues to optimise its tax refund policy for overseas tourists, the potential for inbound tourism consumption is being fully realised. During the recent Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the number of tax refund applications processed at the two Beijing airports surged by 263.81 per cent year-on-year, while the total refund amount increased by 130.59 per cent compared to the same period last year, data from Beijing Customs shows. The customs of Beijing Capital International Airport now has multiple tax refund counters in departure areas, which has helped streamline processing amid rising demand. Meanwhile, Beijing Customs is working closely with tax authorities, tourism officials and Capital Airports Holdings Co Ltd, to publicise tax refund procedures via airport media, multimedia systems, and official new media platforms. - China Daily/ANN
Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Mali's military rulers formally dissolve political parties
FILE PHOTO: Interim President of the Republic of Mali, Assimi Goita, arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, China, Sep. 1, 2024. Ken Ishii/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo BAMAKO - Mali's military government announced on Tuesday that it had dissolved all political parties, approving a recommendation publicised last month that spurred unprecedented protests in the capital, Bamako. A statement read on state television said the decision had been validated by military leader Assimi Goita, who seized power in the West African country after coups in 2020 and 2021. Last month, a national conference of political actors in Mali recommended naming Goita as president with a five-year mandate as well as dissolving the parties. In protests in Bamako on May 3 and May 4, several hundred critics carried placards displaying messages calling for multi-party elections and chanted slogans such as: "Down with dictatorship, long live democracy." The junta originally committed to holding elections in February 2022. Ahead of another planned protest on May 9, Mali suspended political activities across the country, forcing the opposition parties to call off their gathering. Meanwhile, three opposition politicians are feared to have been abducted in recent days, according to party officials and human rights activists, raising fears of mounting repression. Human Rights Watch said in a statement last week that Abba Alhassane, secretary general of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM), was arrested by "masked gunmen claiming to be gendarmes" on May 8. The group also said "unidentified men" seized El Bachir Thiam, leader of the Yelema party, in the town of Kati outside Bamako on the same day. On Tuesday, a member of CODEM, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, told Reuters that the party had not heard from Abdoul Karim Traore, a party youth leader, for two days and feared he had been abducted too. Mali's security ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
29-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Surge in trips expected for Chinese holiday, but travellers keep budgets tight
FILE PHOTO: People visit the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall during the five-day Labour Day holiday in Beijing, China April 30, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Passengers wait for their flights at the Beijing Capital International Airport, in Beijing, China April 20, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Tourists on desert safari trips stay in tents in Tengger Desert in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China July 26, 2021. Picture taken July 26, 2021. REUTERS/Ryan Woo/File Photo Surge in trips expected for Chinese holiday, but travellers keep budgets tight BEIJING/SHANGHAI - Trip numbers are set to reach a three-year post-COVID high during China's upcoming May Day public holidays, travel firms say. The holiday, which begins on May 1 and lasts for five days, is a prime time for travel, with pleasant spring weather making it more appealing than the wintery Lunar New Year break. Domestic travel in China has boomed since the end of the country's pandemic-era restrictions, but while more people are taking a holiday many are keeping a tight rein on spending amid an economic slowdown and concern about employment and wage stagnation. Liu Xiaoting, a 32-year-old bank employee, plans to travel to Hebei, a province close to her home in Beijing. "I'll drive with friends to Handan to visit the grottoes there," she said, adding that part of the appeal of the trip was the "minimal" spending required. "Hotels in Handan cost just 300 to 400 yuan ($41 - $55) even during the holiday. As the Chinese saying goes, we want to 'spend a little, accomplish a lot'." The tighter budgets have led to a surge in visits to more affordable smaller cities and villages, as well as road trips and camping holidays. BOOKING BOOM Tuniu, a leading Chinese online travel agent, reported that as of mid-April, domestic travel bookings for the May Day holiday were more than double the same period last year. Beijing-based travel operator UTour Group said, as of April 15, the gross merchandise volume (GMV, a common measure of online sales) on its platform had increased by about 65% year-on-year. Travel information provider Umetrip also said that as of April 17, the number of domestic flight tickets booked for the May Day holiday was more than 3.33 million, marking a 36% increase compared to last year. International flight ticket bookings on Umetrip have risen by about 25%. International travel, meanwhile, is dominated by short-haul routes, with Japan and the UAE both emerging as popular destinations according to pre-holiday data. Even a warning last month from China's embassy urging Chinese travellers to enhance safety precautions and pay attention to personal and food hygiene does not seem to have deterred holidaymakers. "Japan has long-established a reputation of being clean, mature, and safe," said Su Shu, founder of Chinese firm Moment Travel in Chengdu. "Our tourists are not impacted by the warnings, especially those who have visited Japan before." Domestically, while metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai continue to attract visitors, county-level tourism is rapidly gaining traction. Group data shows that the popularity of searches for smaller cities has increased by 25% year-on-year, with growth rates 11 percentage points higher than in China's biggest cities. Searches for small and remote places such as Bortala, an autonomous prefecture in Xinjiang populated with ethnic minority Mongol people, and Puer, a famous tea-producing area in Yunnan, have surged by more than 50%, it said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Barnama
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Barnama
- SILENT STREETS AND GREEN PLATES: CHINA'S EV REVOLUTION
Opinions on topical issues from thought leaders, columnists and editors. Picture this. Strolling along one of the busiest streets in a Chinese city, with no smoke, no diesel fumes and no lingering scent of petrol. Just the gentle hum of an electric vehicle (EV) gliding past. Chances are, you'll see more cars without tailpipes than you can count. Roads with clean air and minimal noise. Welcome to China, a true paradise for EVs. Once considered a luxury confined to urban centres, EVs have now captured everyday life across China's vast and diverse landscape. Thanks to strong government backing and an ambitious push for nationwide electrification, EVs are no longer just a trend; they are a lifestyle. Clean Air, Quieter Streets When I arrived in Beijing for the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC) 2025 Programme, the shift was immediately evident. During my ride from Beijing Capital International Airport to the Jianguomenwai Diplomatic Residence Compound in Chaoyang District, my eyes were drawn to the car number plates, blue for fuel and hybrid cars while green for electric ones. At least six out of every ten cars bore green plates. EVs seemed to dominate the roads. While some Malaysians, including myself, are still weighing the pros and cons of owning an EV, given the added costs for charging infrastructure and electricity consumption, China has proven that the transition is worth it. The long-term environmental and economic benefits are undeniable. In China, even two-wheelers and buses have gone green, while the taxis are all running on green energy. One evening, craving some spicy comfort food, I used the Amap app to navigate my way to an Indian restaurant on Ritan Upper Street. As I walked, phone in hand and music playing softly through my earphones, I was caught off guard by a motorbike approaching silently from behind. There was no engine roar or rumbling exhaust, just a quiet motorcyclist trying to get my attention in Mandarin. I couldn't understand the words, but the message was clear: make way. Since then, I've stopped using earphones while walking in Beijing. It's a completely different experience from Malaysia, where you can always hear a vehicle before you see it. In China, battery-powered scooters and motorbikes are common, and the infrastructure to support them is impressive. In many hutongs (narrow alleyways in Beijing), self-service battery swap kiosks are placed at every 800 metres. Riders can replace depleted batteries in minutes, just like collecting a parcel from a delivery locker. Even public buses in Beijing are predominantly electric. More Charging Stations than Petrol Stations While it's common in many countries to see petrol stations at every few kilometres, in China, they're becoming a rare sight. Instead, charging stations are far more frequent, a clear sign of the country's shift in energy priorities. The Chinese government has implemented targeted initiatives to accelerate EV adoption, especially in rural areas. These include tax incentives and extended subsidies for the purchase of new energy vehicles (NEVs) until the end of 2027. According to China's Ministry of Public Security, there were just 120,000 NEVs on the roads in 2014. By the end of June 2022, that number had surged past 10 million. It doubled again by the end of 2023 and exceeded 30 million in 2024, accounting for more than half of the world's total NEVs. Rural Electrification: EVs Beyond the Cities Last week, our China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC) 2025 cohort visited Xinzhuang Village in Beijing's Changping District. To my surprise, even this village had dedicated EV charging stations for both cars and motorcycles. One local resident shared that similar infrastructure has already been built in regions as remote as Yunnan Province and Inner Mongolia, extending beyond urban centres to the farthest rural outskirts. In Malls, EVs Steal the Spotlight In Beijing's shopping malls, EVs are not just on display, they are on full parade. Local automakers such as BYD, XPeng, Zeekr, Li Auto, Geely and Deepal are proudly showcasing their latest models. What stood out most was the crowd's interest. Shoppers were more drawn to EV showrooms than most retail outlets. EVs in China start as low as ¥130,000 (about RM85,000), making them an accessible option for many. In Malaysia, EV adoption is beginning to gain momentum. Local manufacturers such as Proton and Perodua are developing more affordable models to compete with global players like BYD and Tesla. Chinese EV brands, renowned for their rapid innovation in battery technology, futuristic designs and competitive pricing, are quickly capturing the attention of Malaysian consumers. A Greener Future for Malaysia? As we move towards a more sustainable future, I hope Malaysia can position itself as a frontrunner in EV innovation with increased government incentives and expanded infrastructure, not just in major cities but across the rural vicinity as well. After all, if China can transform its urban and rural landscapes into an EV haven, there is no reason Malaysia cannot follow the same road to sustainability. -- BERNAMA Kisho Kumari Sucedaram is a journalist with BERNAMA.
