Beijing

Beijing – September 24, 2026 -- China marks the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, a date tied to the year's fullest moon and the autumn harvest.

Families gather for dinner beneath the full moon

The occasion centers on reunion, with households coming together for a shared meal and moon-viewing as the night's centerpiece. Enjoying jasmine flowers and celebrating the harvest remain part of the tradition, all pointing to a single wish: peace and togetherness.

Imperial moon-worship rituals trace back centuries

The festival's roots include solemn ceremonies once performed at sites like the Temple of the Moon, where emperors conducted rites to honor the lunar deity. Over time, these formal rituals merged with everyday folk customs and popular reveries about the moon and stars.

Beijing – September 20, 2026 -- Nearly 210 million people around the world are now learning or using Chinese, according to China's Ministry of Education, as the language moves from classrooms into everyday pop culture and career paths.

Ninety countries have added Chinese to their national school curricula

The Ministry of Education reports that 90 countries have incorporated Chinese into their education systems. In the first half of this year, 564,000 candidates worldwide sat for the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK), a 36 percent increase year on year.

Social media is turning Chinese habits into global trends

On TikTok, Chinese American creator Sherry Zhu built a following of 740,000 in months by posting videos about drinking hot water, wearing cotton slippers and brewing goji berries. One user reportedly memorized the character "呢" by breaking it into the sounds "o-p-t."

London – September 20, 2026 -- Hainan Airlines has been named a SKYTRAX Five-Star Airline for the 15th consecutive year, the carrier announced at the 2026 World Airline Awards ceremony held in London on Sept. 18.

The airline, part of HNA Aviation Group, also placed among the SKYTRAX World's Best Airlines Top 10 List and took home category wins for Best Airline in China, Best Airline Staff Service in China and Best Business Class Airline Comfort Amenities. Zhu Tao, Vice President of HNA Aviation Group and Chairman of Hainan Airlines, attended the ceremony to accept the honors.

Beijing – September 19, 2026 -- Chinese outdoor footwear brand CGX has launched two dedicated obstacle racing shoes, the R1020 and R1010, debuting them at the UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships held in Beijing from September 2 to 6. The shoes went on sale in China on September 7 at RMB 1,099 per pair.

Two models target different race distances

The R1020 is built for the explosive 100-metre sprint format, while the R1010 is designed for 400-metre and 3-kilometre obstacle races. Both use a Vibram outsole with Megagrip compound, Traction Lug technology and Litebase construction, paired with a dual-zone midsole, heel-lock structure and performance-woven upper to handle running, climbing, jumping and rapid direction changes.

Beijing – September 15, 2026 -- China Daily and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism launched "China Bound • Beijing," an English-language smart travel platform, on Sept 9 at the World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development in the city.

The platform bundles a website, two mini-programs and an AI assistant into one system.

It runs as a city-level extension of China Daily's broader "China Bound" platform, accessible via www.chinabound.cn/beijing, plus dedicated Beijing pages on the Alipay and WeChat mini-programs. Users can find these by searching "ChinaBound" or "游在中国" within either app.

Beijing – September 07, 2026 -- Chinese outdoor footwear brand CGX has unveiled two new obstacle racing shoes, the R1010 and R1020, debuting them on the opening day of the UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing, running September 2-6. The Chinese Modern Pentathlon Obstacle Race Team wore the shoes in international competition for the first time as part of the event.

The championships, part of UIPM's Race Across China series, feature athletes racing 100m, 400m and 3km formats plus relay and team events. Obstacle Racing is set to debut as an Olympic sport within the reimagined Modern Pentathlon at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Each shoe targets a different race distance

The R1020 is built for the explosive demands of the 100m format, prioritizing fast starts, grip and quick transitions between obstacles. The R1010 is designed for 400m and 3km racing, balancing obstacle handling with cushioning and propulsion for longer efforts.