China’s economy kicks off 2026 with robust momentum
An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2026 shows tourists watching a performance at the Laoling World Studios, a film and television shooting and cultural tourism base, in Laoling, east China’s Shandong Province. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Jia Peng/Xinhua)
People watch an opera performance in snow in Pingliang, northwest China’s Gansu Province Jan. 2, 2026 China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Wu Xihui/Xinhua)
Tourists enjoy bamboo pole dance at a scenic area in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Chen Wenwu/Xinhua)
A drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2026 shows a fireworks show in Xiangyang, central China’s Hubei Province. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua)
Tourists visit the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)
A panoramic drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2026 shows a light festival in Wuwei, northwest China’s Gansu Province. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Jiang Aiping/Xinhua)
Staff members work on a production line at a clothing company in Shijiazhuang, north China’s Hebei Province, Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua)
Tourists watch a performance at a heritage park in Luoyang, central China’s Henan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Huang Zhengwei/Xinhua)
Folk artists perform on stilts at a scenic area in Mudanjiang, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Sun Tingyi/Xinhua)
A folk artist is pictured during “bianlian,” a face-changing performance featured in Sichuan Opera, in Taierzhuang ancient town of Zaozhuang, east China’s Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua)
People take selfies with movie posters at a cinema in Mengzi, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Xue Yingying/Xinhua)
People watch a performance at a shopping mall in Nanyang, central China’s Henan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Gao Song/Xinhua)
Ice sculptures are seen at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)
Tourists visit Nanqiang Street in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Liang Zhiqiang/Xinhua)
People enjoy morning tea at a time-honored restaurant in Taizhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Yang Yugang/Xinhua)
Tourists visit the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)
People shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
A vendor sells tanghulu, a traditional Chinese snack of sugar-coated fruits, at a scenic area in Mudanjiang, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Sun Tingyi/Xinhua)
People dine at a restaurant in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Xin Yi/Xinhua)
A drone phone taken on Jan. 2, 2026 shows trucks loaded with containers at the Tangshan Port in Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2026 shows yachts in the waters near Sanya Phoenix Island in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Ye Longbin/Xinhua)
Tourists pose for photos at a scenic area in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Li Xueshi/Xinhua)
Workers make power cables at a factory in Ji’an, east China’s Jiangxi Province, Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Chen Fuping/Xinhua)
Tourists visit the Longmen Grottoes scenic spot in Luoyang City, central China’s Henan Province on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Li Weichao/Xinhua)
Tourists take photos at an ancient hamlet in Jinghong, southwest China’s Yunnan Province on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Li Yunsheng/Xinhua)
Tourists visit the Laomendong scenic zone in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Su Yang/Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 1, 2026 shows people enjoying a performance of intangible cultural heritage at a scenic area in Yancheng, east China’s Jiangsu Province. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Zhou Shegen/Xinhua)
Tourists take photos at an ocean resort in Binhai New Area, north China’s Tianjin on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Du Penghui/Xinhua)
People enjoy virtual reality experience at a shopping mall in Boxing County of Bingzhou, east China’s Shandong Province on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Chen Bin/Xinhua)
Tourists visit the Fuzi (Confucius) Temple scenic area in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Sun Zhongnan/Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 2, 2026 shows visitors exploring a giant maze made of ice and snow in Tongjiang, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Liu Wanping/Xinhua)
Locals perform yangge dance at Xigangnan Village of Pingshan County in Shijiazhuang, north China’s Hebei Province on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/Xinhua)
Visitors participate in a bonfire party at a scenic area in Tancheng County of Linyi, east China’s Shandong Province on Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua)
Children check out a poster for the movie “Zootopia II” at a cinema in Hai’an, east China’s Jiangsu Province on Jan. 2, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Gu Binbin/Xinhua)
Tourists visit a night market in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, on Jan. 1, 2026. China’s economy kicked off 2026 with robust momentum, as evidenced by bustling economic activity in the year’s first days. (Photo by Zhang Xiaoliang/Xinhua)
Reference Link:- https://english.news.cn/20260102/fd2b99c757c44af29550ec570d473ab2/c.html
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
