BEIJING (Xinhua/Internews): On a balmy afternoon on the first day of the Chinese Spring Festival, a queue of nearly 40 people, over half of them being Chinese tourists, snaked around the plain ice cream stall of “Uncle Chieng” on Orchard Road, Singapore.
“Recently, more than half of the customers are Chinese tourists. Around the Spring Festival, I sell about 20 percent more ice cream each day compared to usual,” said ChiengPuay Chui, owner of the stall, which has become one of the must-visit spots for Chinese tourists.
This scene is just a microcosm of the vibrant Spring Festival celebrations that have swept China and beyond, the first Lunar New Year festivities after the Spring Festival was added to UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.
The festival, which falls on Jan. 29 this year, with week-long nationwide celebrations around the date, has not only ignited a surge in domestic consumption but also created vast opportunities for international businesses, as Chinese consumers embrace global goods and cultures.
The Spring Festival, a time for family reunion and feasting, has seen a growing appetite for “foreign New Year goods” among Chinese consumers. From French wine to Chilean cherries, global delicacies have become essential elements of the Chinese New Year shopping list.
France’s Occitanie region, renowned for its wine, has been actively promoting its produce in China through platforms like the China International Import Expo and the “From French Farms to Chinese Tables” initiative. For French wine producers, the Spring Festival is one of the best opportunities to promote their products.
“Ahead of the Chinese New Year, we organized various events to support wine producers from the Occitanie region and importers in distributing their products so that they would be available during the Spring Festival,” said Catherine Machabert, food and wine international director of the economic development agency of the Occitanie Region.
“For the Year of the Snake, distributors have prepared a variety of gift boxes featuring snake-themed designs to promote the wines,” said Machabert, adding that Occitanie has always maintained strong ties with China and recognizes the importance of the Chinese market.
Meanwhile, French confectionery giant Andros has capitalized on the festive season by launching special gift packs and organizing in-store tastings. “Our sales during this Spring Festival are expected to double compared to previous years, setting a new record,” said MaxenceZeng, general manager of Andros China.
Chilean cherries, with their vibrant red hue and symbolic association with prosperity in the Chinese culture, have also become a favorite among Chinese consumers.
China is a very important market for fresh Chilean cherries, not only because it receives more than 90 percent of total exports, “but also because of the friendly relationship that has been built between our cherries and the people of China,” said Claudia Soler, executive director of the Chilean Cherry Committee.
The Spring Festival is not just about shopping and feasting; it’s also a time for travel and cultural exploration. With extended holidays and visa-free policies, Chinese tourists have been flocking to international destinations, while foreign visitors have been arriving in China to experience the festivities firsthand.
On the pristine beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania, Chinese tourists Li Chenguang and his wife, Zhao Xue, marveled at the natural beauty surrounding them. “We can witness the Great Migration in the Serengeti, the azure waters of the Indian Ocean and even the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro,” Zhao exclaimed with excitement.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur International Airport has been bustling as Chinese tourists head to Malaysia for tropical experiences and Malaysian travelers embark on winter adventures in China. “We’re planning to visit Harbin, hike up Changbai Mountain and savor traditional northeastern dishes like GuoBao Rou (crispy sweet and sour pork),” said Zhou Jinglang, a tour guide of a Malaysian travel agency.
According to the National Immigration Administration, China recorded 14.37 million cross-border trips during the Spring Festival holiday season, a 6.3 percent increase from a year earlier. About 1 million of these trips were made by foreign nationals, marking a 22.9 percent year-on-year rise.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Spring Festival holiday has marked a new milestone for China’s thriving film industry, with box office revenue soaring to an unprecedented 9.51 billion yuan (approximately 1.33 billion U.S. dollars) between Jan. 28 and Feb. 4, according to the China Film Administration.
A staggering 187 million moviegoers flocked to cinemas throughout the holiday week, setting new all-time highs in both box office earnings and audience turnout.
Released on Jan. 29, the first day of Chinese New Year, Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” has shattered multiple box office records, becoming the first film to cross 1 billion dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club.
The Spring Festival consumption boom has not only showcased the resilience and vitality of China’s economy but also highlighted the potential for international collaboration. From French dairy products to Chilean cherries, foreign businesses are eager to tap into the vast Chinese market and capitalize on emerging consumer trends.
“Occitanie has always maintained strong ties with China and recognizes the importance of the Chinese market. With its Shanghai office, the regional agency will continue to support wine, agri-food, and cosmetics companies in entering or expanding in the Chinese market,” said Machabert, the trade official of the Occitanie Region.
Meanwhile, HerveLanoe, chief executive officer of French dairy company Fit Group, noted that Chinese consumers are increasingly prioritizing quality and health. “Butter with a protected designation of origin is highly appreciated by our Chinese client,” he said, adding that the company will try to take advantage of this opportunity.
Over the years, Garces Fruit, Chile’s largest cherry exporter, has been actively expanding its presence in China. “The Chinese market is fundamental for the trade of Chilean cherries,” said HernanGarcesGazmuri, the export manager of Garces Fruit.
“It is a clear example of win-win,” said GarcesGazmuri, who settled in China in 2017 and opened an office in 2018. “It produces a lot of employment, from the harvests, the packaging, all this positive dynamic is generated thanks to the Chinese market. This industry does not exist without China.”
“We want to continue to explore the market, developing e-commerce and boosting our Garces Fruit brand. I think there is a lot to do,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday presided over a State Council executive meeting that outlined measures to boost domestic consumption and approved an action plan to stabilize foreign investment in 2025.
The meeting called for strong support to increase household incomes, promote reasonable wage growth, broaden property-related income channels, and enhance consumption capacities.It emphasized the importance of focusing on consumption sectors with a strong spillover effect and large growth potential to tap into consumption potential.
It also highlighted the importance of expanding consumption in the culture, sports and tourism sectors, of promoting consumption in the snow-and-ice industry, of developing inbound tourism consumption, and of strengthening support for China’s consumer goods trade-in program.
The meeting also noted that foreign enterprises play an important role in job creation, export stabilization and industrial upgrading, and urged more practical, effective measures to stabilize existing foreign investment and expand new investment.
It called for the optimization of a comprehensive services sector opening-up pilot program and the expansion of industries that encourage foreign investment.It encouraged foreign capital to undertake equity investment in China, and urged efforts to optimize rules and procedures for foreign mergers and acquisitions.
The meeting stressed the need for domestic and foreign enterprises to be treated equally in government procurement, as well as the need to broaden financing channels for foreign enterprises.Efforts should be made to promote the removal of outdated or inefficient production capacities, and to increase high-end capacities, according to the meeting.
It discussed and approved in principle a draft law on national development planning, and decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for deliberation.
