Illustration: Liu Xiangya/Global Times

Starting Friday, citizens holding ordinary passports from nine countries - including Slovakia, Norway, Finland and South Korea - traveling to China will be eligible for visa-free entry. On Thursday, China and the Solomon Islands signed an agreement to waive visa requirements for each other's citizens. China's enlarging "visa-free circle of friends" attracts tourists from more countries to explore "China Travel" spontaneously. Reports also indicate that residents of China's third-tier cities have become a significant force in outbound travel, and more Chinese people are willing and able to go abroad to experience "World Travel." In "China Travel" and "World Travel" that move toward each other, we see a more open China, and the significance of China's high level of opening-up extends far beyond that.

As soon as the new visa-free policy was announced, Slovak art groups, Finnish companies, South Korean travel agencies and others were ready to seize the opportunity to develop the Chinese market. Official data shows that in the third quarter of this year, the number of trips made by foreign visitors rose by 48.8 percent year-on-year, with the number of those entering the country with visa exemptions rising by 78.6 percent year-on-year.

Beyond the data, we can see that, apart from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, more foreign tourists have visited more Chinese cities such as Suzhou, Kunming and Zhangjiajie. They record not only the sceneries in China, but also the facilitated customs clearance and payment measures, as well as the electronic ticketing experience. They scored China "high" in satisfaction, which has continuously enhanced the significance of the "China Travel" brand. According to reports from Ctrip, one of China's largest online travel agencies, nearly a quarter of foreign tourists have visited China twice or more this year. What attracts these "returning customers" are the profound Chinese culture, the flourishing opportunities in the country and the friendly Chinese people. The power of opening-up has made China's charm more visible and acceptable to the world.

An objective reality is that the current wave of deglobalization casts a shadow over international exchanges. Some countries frequently impose trade barriers and enforce technological blockades, often under the guise of "de-risking," even restricting art and academic exchange programs that are completely unrelated to "national security." Such practices undoubtedly hinder the progress of globalization, deepening the sense of distance and distrust between countries and people. At this moment, China's commitment to expanding opening-up to the world is especially valuable. Moreover, our opening-up is equal and inclusive. Under the viral "China Travel" tag on live-streaming and short-video overseas platforms, we see more and more foreign tourists and bloggers entering China, introducing a vibrant, contemporary China to the world from their own perspectives and in their own ways of recording. As more Chinese people travel abroad, through their perspectives and voices, we also get to understand the customs and cultures around the world and sincerely embrace the diverse and colorful global scenery, which is a true reflection of a new era of China characterized by inclusiveness, openness, and confidence.

From "China Travel" to "World Travel," this reflects the inbound aspect of China's tourism and the outbound aspect of China's opening-up to the outside world, as well as the mutual promotion of the deep integration of Chinese culture and technology. This is one facet of China's high-level opening-up. On a broader scale, there are more two-way opening-up practices that embody "Chinese wisdom." The ongoing 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai is the world's first national-level exhibition themed on "imports." It demonstrates that China is not only the world's factory but also a "marketplace for high-quality and innovative products from various countries." This event provides a valuable platform for countries seeking open cooperation, creating opportunities for mutual profit. The achievements of the CIIE undoubtedly confirm the popularity of opening-up. One day into this year's expo, 80 enterprises and institutions have already "rushed" to reserve exhibition slots for the next CIIE. Besides CIIE, there are other international exhibitions such as the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the Canton Fair, and the China International Supply Chain Expo. This matrix of international exhibitions showcases China's unwavering attitude toward opening-up.

"Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations." China needs to engage more with the world, and the world also needs to engage more with China. Opening-up means greater understanding and mutual trust, which can naturally resolve more contradictions and differences. Whether it is "China Travel" or "World Travel," whether it is the Canton Fair or the CIIE, all are part of the grand tapestry of China's high-level opening-up to the outside world. The story being jointly written by China and its "new and old friends" is one of mutual progress and win-win development between China and the world. "China will not close its door to the world; we will only become more and more open." The country's commitment to opening-up is unwavering; we firmly believe in the power of opening-up.