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Russia Opens Its Doors: Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tourists<\/h3>\n
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On September 5, CCTV News reported that President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum, announced Russia will introduce a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens, a reciprocal gesture to China\u2019s earlier move.<\/p>\n
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The travel industry expects the policy to turbocharge demand. Within just one hour of the announcement, Tongcheng Travel recorded a sixfold surge in searches for Russian travel products. Popular picks included Moscow, St. Petersburg, Murmansk, and Kazan \u2014 destinations already high on Chinese tourists\u2019 wish lists.<\/p>\n
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Qunar\u2019s flight index tells a similar story: searches for Moscow and St. Petersburg flights doubled year-on-year last week, while Beijing\u2013St. Petersburg searches jumped threefold. This summer has already seen more independent travelers heading to Russia, and the visa-free policy is widely expected to draw even greater numbers over the upcoming National Day holiday.<\/p>\n
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Russia has long been among the top 10 destinations for outbound Chinese travelers. With barriers now falling, the stage is set for a wave of tourists crossing the border \u2014 and for Russia\u2019s tourism sector, a golden holiday season may be just ahead.<\/p>\n
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China\u2019s Railways to Retire Paper Vouchers, Embrace Full Digital Era<\/h3>\n
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China\u2019s railway system will take another step toward full digitalization on September 30, 2025<\/strong>, when paper reimbursement vouchers are officially discontinued and replaced by e-invoices.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The move is the latest in a steady digital shift: since November 2023, passengers have been able to request electronic invoices directly online, without visiting counters or kiosks. The announcement has stirred nostalgia online, with many netizens posting photos of old paper tickets \u2014 keepsakes of past journeys \u2014 as a way to reminisce.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some worry that elderly passengers could face difficulties. Railway authorities stress, however, that self-service machines will continue to provide printed travel itineraries, listing key details such as departure times, stations, seat numbers, and boarding gates.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n With digital tickets already the norm, this change signals not just the end of paper stubs, but the beginning of a smoother, more connected travel experience.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n On September 4, Madame Tussauds Beijing announced it will permanently close its doors on October 1, 2025, citing the expiration of its lease and adjustments to brand strategy. Most of the wax figures will be relocated to other Madame Tussauds locations in China.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The challenges facing the Beijing branch mirror broader headwinds for wax museums. First, the economics are daunting: annual rent alone ranges between CNY 16 million and 27 million, while creating a single wax figure costs up to CNY 300,000, not including ongoing maintenance and administrative expenses. In total, operating costs easily exceed CNY 30 million per year, making profitability elusive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Second, the wax museum\u2019s core strength\u2014its celebrity IP\u2014is losing traction. Younger consumers are increasingly captivated by internet personalities and next-generation idols, but wax figure updates have failed to keep pace with shifting tastes. Static displays also struggle in an era when audiences seek immersive, interactive experiences such as VR gaming or escape rooms.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Finally, the brand\u2019s parent company, Merlin Entertainments, is pursuing a strategic realignment. In Beijing, where the tourism market is heavily anchored in historical and cultural attractions like the Forbidden City, the entertainment-centric wax museum struggled to fit its surroundings. By closing in Beijing, resources can be better concentrated on other locations such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Wuhan, improving overall efficiency.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In short, the closure underscores both rising operational pressures and changing consumer preferences \u2014 and reflects Merlin\u2019s bid to sharpen its China portfolio.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Time magazine has unveiled its third annual TIME100 AI list, spotlighting the 100 most influential figures shaping artificial intelligence. This year, three names from China stand out: Huawei\u2019s Ren Zhengfei, DeepSeek\u2019s Liang Wenfeng, and Unitree\u2019s Wang Xingxing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ren Zhengfei \u2014 the legendary founder of Huawei \u2014 began with a small switch-reselling business in 1987. Nearly four decades later, he leads a global tech giant. Despite facing heavy U.S. sanctions, Huawei reported over $118 billion in revenue in 2024. Its Ascend 910C chip is said to deliver 60% of Nvidia H100\u2019s inference performance, while its CloudMatrix 384 supercomputing system showcases how China is building AI infrastructure with homegrown chips.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Liang Wenfeng, founder of DeepSeek, shook the AI world in January with the release of R1, the first open-weight model to challenge OpenAI\u2019s latest launch. Trained for just $6 million, R1 ignited comparisons with OpenAI\u2019s mega-budget Project Stargate, estimated at $500 billion. The launch sent shockwaves through markets, briefly erasing $1 trillion from Nvidia and other U.S. tech stocks \u2014 proof that even a small Chinese startup can unsettle Silicon Valley\u2019s biggest players.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree, stole the spotlight in January when dozens of his humanoid robots performed on China\u2019s most-watched TV show. Unitree now claims two-thirds of the global robot dog market and says half its sales come from overseas. Wang\u2019s design mantra is simple: fewer parts mean stronger, cheaper, and more durable robots. He\u2019s betting that as AI improves, humanoids will move beyond preprogramming \u2014 say, cleaning a room they\u2019ve never seen before \u2014 making robots truly autonomous helpers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" China Plans Asteroid Defense Test \u2014 and Outpaces Sci-Fi On September 5, 2025, Wu Weiren, chief designer of China\u2019s lunar exploration program, announced that the country will carry out a kinetic impact demonstration mission on an asteroid to test planetary defense capabilities. Speaking at the third International Conference on Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":91029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\n On September 5, 2025, Wu Weiren, chief designer of China\u2019s lunar exploration program, announced that the country will carry out a kinetic impact demonstration mission on an asteroid to test planetary defense capabilities. Speaking at the third International Conference on Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu), Wu said the mission will use space\u2013ground collaborative observation and high-speed imaging to measure changes in the asteroid\u2019s orbit, shape, and ejecta \u2014 allowing scientists to accurately assess the impact effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n China also plans to invite global partners to participate, with cooperation opportunities in ground-based monitoring, payload integration, and data sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But while the announcement marked a serious milestone in space science, it also triggered a lighter reaction online. The Weibo hashtag \u201cGuo Fan\u2019s script was rewritten overnight\u201d<\/em> quickly trended, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the acclaimed director of The Wandering Earth<\/em>. As many netizens joked, China\u2019s space program is now advancing so quickly that even sci-fi screenwriters can barely keep up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On September 5, CCTV News reported that President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum, announced Russia will introduce a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens, a reciprocal gesture to China\u2019s earlier move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The travel industry expects the policy to turbocharge demand. Within just one hour of the announcement, Tongcheng Travel recorded a sixfold surge in searches for Russian travel products. Popular picks included Moscow, St. Petersburg, Murmansk, and Kazan \u2014 destinations already high on Chinese tourists\u2019 wish lists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qunar\u2019s flight index tells a similar story: searches for Moscow and St. Petersburg flights doubled year-on-year last week, while Beijing\u2013St. Petersburg searches jumped threefold. This summer has already seen more independent travelers heading to Russia, and the visa-free policy is widely expected to draw even greater numbers over the upcoming National Day holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russia has long been among the top 10 destinations for outbound Chinese travelers. With barriers now falling, the stage is set for a wave of tourists crossing the border \u2014 and for Russia\u2019s tourism sector, a golden holiday season may be just ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n China\u2019s railway system will take another step toward full digitalization on September 30, 2025<\/strong>, when paper reimbursement vouchers are officially discontinued and replaced by e-invoices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The move is the latest in a steady digital shift: since November 2023, passengers have been able to request electronic invoices directly online, without visiting counters or kiosks. The announcement has stirred nostalgia online, with many netizens posting photos of old paper tickets \u2014 keepsakes of past journeys \u2014 as a way to reminisce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some worry that elderly passengers could face difficulties. Railway authorities stress, however, that self-service machines will continue to provide printed travel itineraries, listing key details such as departure times, stations, seat numbers, and boarding gates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With digital tickets already the norm, this change signals not just the end of paper stubs, but the beginning of a smoother, more connected travel experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On September 4, Madame Tussauds Beijing announced it will permanently close its doors on October 1, 2025, citing the expiration of its lease and adjustments to brand strategy. Most of the wax figures will be relocated to other Madame Tussauds locations in China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenges facing the Beijing branch mirror broader headwinds for wax museums. First, the economics are daunting: annual rent alone ranges between CNY 16 million and 27 million, while creating a single wax figure costs up to CNY 300,000, not including ongoing maintenance and administrative expenses. In total, operating costs easily exceed CNY 30 million per year, making profitability elusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, the wax museum\u2019s core strength\u2014its celebrity IP\u2014is losing traction. Younger consumers are increasingly captivated by internet personalities and next-generation idols, but wax figure updates have failed to keep pace with shifting tastes. Static displays also struggle in an era when audiences seek immersive, interactive experiences such as VR gaming or escape rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, the brand\u2019s parent company, Merlin Entertainments, is pursuing a strategic realignment. In Beijing, where the tourism market is heavily anchored in historical and cultural attractions like the Forbidden City, the entertainment-centric wax museum struggled to fit its surroundings. By closing in Beijing, resources can be better concentrated on other locations such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Wuhan, improving overall efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, the closure underscores both rising operational pressures and changing consumer preferences \u2014 and reflects Merlin\u2019s bid to sharpen its China portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time magazine has unveiled its third annual TIME100 AI list, spotlighting the 100 most influential figures shaping artificial intelligence. This year, three names from China stand out: Huawei\u2019s Ren Zhengfei, DeepSeek\u2019s Liang Wenfeng, and Unitree\u2019s Wang Xingxing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ren Zhengfei \u2014 the legendary founder of Huawei \u2014 began with a small switch-reselling business in 1987. Nearly four decades later, he leads a global tech giant. Despite facing heavy U.S. sanctions, Huawei reported over $118 billion in revenue in 2024. Its Ascend 910C chip is said to deliver 60% of Nvidia H100\u2019s inference performance, while its CloudMatrix 384 supercomputing system showcases how China is building AI infrastructure with homegrown chips.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Liang Wenfeng, founder of DeepSeek, shook the AI world in January with the release of R1, the first open-weight model to challenge OpenAI\u2019s latest launch. Trained for just $6 million, R1 ignited comparisons with OpenAI\u2019s mega-budget Project Stargate, estimated at $500 billion. The launch sent shockwaves through markets, briefly erasing $1 trillion from Nvidia and other U.S. tech stocks \u2014 proof that even a small Chinese startup can unsettle Silicon Valley\u2019s biggest players.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree, stole the spotlight in January when dozens of his humanoid robots performed on China\u2019s most-watched TV show. Unitree now claims two-thirds of the global robot dog market and says half its sales come from overseas. Wang\u2019s design mantra is simple: fewer parts mean stronger, cheaper, and more durable robots. He\u2019s betting that as AI improves, humanoids will move beyond preprogramming \u2014 say, cleaning a room they\u2019ve never seen before \u2014 making robots truly autonomous helpers.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-39"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91028"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91033,"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91028\/revisions\/91033"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gl-open.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/figure>\n
Wax Figures Melt Away: Madame Tussauds Exits Beijing<\/h3>\n
China\u2019s AI Heavyweights Land on TIME100 AI List<\/h3>\n
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China Plans Asteroid Defense Test \u2014 and Outpaces Sci-Fi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Russia Opens Its Doors: Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tourists<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
China\u2019s Railways to Retire Paper Vouchers, Embrace Full Digital Era<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Wax Figures Melt Away: Madame Tussauds Exits Beijing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
China\u2019s AI Heavyweights Land on TIME100 AI List<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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