China has seen a surge in inbound tourism during the five day May Day holiday, with data from the National Immigration Administration on Monday showing arrivals reaching their highest level in the post pandemic era, driven by the country’s expanding visa free policy.

China’s visa free policy for citizens of 45 countries, recently expanded to include Canada and the UK and extended through December 31, 2026, enables most short haul travelers from Europe and Asia to enter with only a passport and return ticket

Official reports said that between April 30 and May 5, more than 100,000 people crossed the Vietnam border at Hekou in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, while Hunchun, northeast Jilin Province’s only land gateway to Russia, recorded its busiest week since 2019.

China’s ancient cultural attractions have also become a major hit among international tourists during the holiday, with the historic city of Xi’an in northwestern Shaanxi Province welcoming an influx of visitors.

Foreign travelers climbed the ancient city wall, tried on traditional Chinese costumes, and joined cultural activities, sharing their experiences of traveling in China.

“When I arrived in China, I get in China, I said it’s beautiful, it’s amazing really,” said an Italian tourist.

“I think China is one of the very few countries who can combine both the cultural virtues with the modern issues. Because it’s not very easy and you are teaching the world the new technology, new life and new issues,” said a Turkish tourist.

All the people injured in the fireworks plant explosion on Monday in central China’s Hunan Province have been sent to local hospitals for treatment, according to authorities.

The accident has left 26 people dead and 61 others injured, according to officials speaking at a press conference on Tuesday.

The explosion occurred on Monday afternoon at the plant of Huasheng fireworks manufacturing and display company in Liuyang, a county-level city in Changsha, the capital city of Hunan.

“When I arrived at the scene, I saw everything was flattened. Everything. Look at me. I’m all covered by mud and sand stirred up by the explosion,” said local villager Wu Yuliang.

Following the explosion, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to locate those still unaccounted for and to treat the injured. The person in charge of the company where the accident occurred has been detained by police.

More than 480 rescuers, organized into five teams, have been deployed, along with three rescue robots to support operations.

At Tuesday’s press conference, local officials said the situation remains challenging, with difficulties in controlling the fire, extinguishing the blaze, and carrying out search and rescue operations.

“A large quantity of explosives stored in the warehouse area could not be moved immediately, posing a direct threat to the safety of our rescue personnel. Second, the accident site was chaotic since basically all buildings’ walls, beams, columns, and roofs have collapsed, creating extensive rubble. People were buried under the debris, passageways were blocked, and our rescue efforts were severely hampered,” said Ding Weiming, Party secretary and political commissar of Changsha’s fire and rescue team.

The injured have been rushed to two hospitals for emergency treatment after the explosion, with most suffering from bone injuries.

A medical task force of leading experts in burns, intensive care, and trauma surgery has been assembled.

The People’s Hospital of Liuyang received 25 of the injured people.

“She has fractures in both legs. The doctor won’t allow her to walk or get out of bed. She can only use a wheelchair to get around. I have to carry her to the bathroom,” one victim’s son told reporters at his mother’s bedside in hospital.

All patients are reported to be in stable condition, though doctors say they will require further observation for more than 24 hours.

“For now, we don’t recommend that they rush to be discharged, as there is still some psychological trauma and stress that we need to monitor,” said Ding Shengqiang, head of the hospital’s medical department.

After all of the city’s fireworks enterprises were shut down on Monday night, local officials said a large-scale safety inspection will be carried out to address regulatory gaps and strengthen overall safety standards.