Against the backdrop of cooled bilateral ties, travel insiders in China confirmed to the Global Times on Tuesday a further decline in both bookings and inquiries for trips to Japan, with Japanese media reports also citing government data showing six consecutive months of declining Chinese tourist arrivals.

The downward trend also comes as the government decided to raise visa fees for foreign nationals fivefold starting from July, according to media reports. Chinese experts stated that resurgent militarism in Japan has strained bilateral exchanges, while higher entry barriers risk further eroding its share of the regional tourism market, ultimately undermining Tokyo's own interests.

Japanese government data showed that the number of tourists from China fell for six consecutive months, plunging 60.4 percent over the year to 313,000, according to a previous report by Mainichi Shimbun in June. The report also noted that the number of foreign visitors to Japan in May fell 3.6 percent from a year earlier to 3.56 million due to a drop in travelers from China.

Since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made erroneous remarks on Taiwan, the number of Chinese mainland tourists traveling to Japan has continued to decline, putting pressure on Japan's retail, accommodation and catering sectors, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

A staff member from CYTS told the Global Times on Tuesday that the gradual drop began since late last year. Although its agency service for Japanese tourist visas remains in normal operation, inquiries in May were half the figure recorded in the same period last year.

Another industry insider, Xu Fengwei, a staff member from the marketing department of Tongcheng Travel, also told the Global Times on Tuesday that both bookings and inquiries for group tours to Japan have dropped markedly year-on-year, with weak demand for Japanese travel becoming a dominant trend among Chinese consumers.

Among tourists who previously enquired about trips to Japan, destinations including Thailand, Spain and Brazil have emerged as alternatives, Xu added. Flight bookings to Thailand surged over 30 percent year-on-year for the same period in May. Demand also saw substantial growth for long-haul hotspots including Central Asia, Brazil, Spain and Portugal.

The continued decline in Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan is primarily attributed to the current state of China-Japan relations, with strained bilateral ties sharply reducing travel demand from China. Domestic social instability in Japan has also weighed on visitor numbers, further undermining its appeal as a travel destination, Lü Chao, an expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

In recent months, the Chinese Embassy in Japan has issued a series of safety advisories reminding Chinese nationals to safeguard personal security, citing multiple incidents where Chinese visitors suffered harassment or physical assaults.

The Chinese Embassy in Japan issued a statement on its official WeChat account in April, citing a series of recent incidents involving Chinese nationals. These include a case in which an active-duty member of Japan's Self-Defense Forces scaled a wall and broke into the Chinese embassy while carrying a knife, as well as reports of right-wing individuals harassing Chinese spectators at a marathon event. In addition, Chinese students were targeted in "bumping assault" on the streets in Tokyo, while a Hong Kong tourist was assaulted at a restaurant in Hokkaido.

The embassy noted that these cases reflect a growing presence of rampant right-wing activities in Japan, a noticeable increase in discriminatory incidents targeting Chinese nationals, and a continuously rising safety risk for Chinese citizens in Japan, Xinhua reported.

More broadly, resurgent militarism in Japan, along with provocative actions toward China, has contributed to a deterioration in bilateral people-to-people and economic exchanges, and the moves resulted in significant losses for Japan itself, Lü said. 

The decline also coincided with a government decision to raise the fees for visas for foreign nationals by revising a related Cabinet order, according to the Japan Times on Saturday. The decision, made at a Cabinet meeting, marks the first revision of the visa fees in 48 years, since 1978.

The fee will be increased from the current 3,000 yen ($18.5) to 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa. The new fees will apply to applications submitted on or after July 1, per the report.

Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu told reporters that the current visa fees were reviewed in response to rising prices and changes in foreign exchange rates, according to the report by NHK.

Higher visa fees are likely to deter price-sensitive and short-stay visitors, with smaller regional cities and rural areas—those most reliant on inbound tourism—expected to be the first to feel the impact. These destinations risk losing a key source of visitors as a result of a short-sighted approach, Sun Shengnan, associate professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times.

At the same time, in an increasingly competitive global tourism market, neighboring countries such as South Korea and Thailand are well positioned to absorb diverted demand, Sun said, adding that by raising barriers to entry, Japan risks ceding a significant share of the regional tourism market.

Sun added that this policy move by Japan's government may provide a short-term boost to government revenues, yet sacrifices the country's open international reputation and dynamism of regional industries in the process.

When asked to comment on reports that Taiwan region's military is carrying out the so-called "Immediate Combat Readiness Exercises" and claiming that the drills aim to verify the emergency response capacity and joint combat capabilities of all operational zones in the event that Chinese mainland takes action, Zhang Han, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Wednesday that these so-called drills lay bare the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' sinister attempt to seek independence through military buildup. 
This also fully exposes them as the fundamental source stoking cross-Straits confrontation and triggering tensions and turbulence across the Straits, Zhang added.

Faced with the powerful Chinese People's Liberation Army, the DPP authorities' hollow saber-rattling is completely futile, Zhang said, adding that their reckless moves will only bring disaster and ruin to Taiwan and lead to their own self-destruction.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar's President Min Aung Hlaing attended a signing ceremony of cooperation documents in Beijing on Tuesday.

2026 Beijing CBD Forum Annual Conference is held in Beijing on Tuesday to implement the strategic deployment of high-level opening-up and deepen practical cooperation between China and other countries. In one of the four flagship events, for the first time, the forum also hosted a roundtable dialogue for diplomatic envoys. Under the theme of "advancing high-level opening-up, sharing new opportunities for development," ambassadors and diplomats highlighted their views on the new opportunities unleashed thanks to China's continuing opening-up.

In his keynote speech, Xia Linmao, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Beijing Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor of Beijing, said that 2026 marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30). The Chinese government has formulated the outline for this plan, injecting strong momentum into efforts to deepen international exchange and collaboration across various fields.

In the session of country promotion, North Macedonia's Ambassador to China Sashko Nasev shared that China and North Macedonia enjoy a very close cooperative relationship, and China is the country's fourth-largest international trading partner.
Carlos Vasquez, Peruvian ambassador to China, introduced that in 2025, 34 percent of Peru's exports went to China. China is also Peru's largest trading partner.

2026 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Peru. On this occasion, the ambassador also shared civilization exhibitions staged in both Beijing and Shanghai in the celebration of the event.

Ambassador Vasquez told the Global Times that China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), which was adopted three months ago, prioritizes boosting domestic consumption and advancing consumption-driven growth. This means Chinese consumers will have greater disposable capacity to spend, which is excellent news for Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries such as Peru that aim to expand agricultural exports to China.

He said that beyond boosting consumption, China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) also places heavy emphasis on green development.

"Peru must gradually transform its energy mix, as our current power supply still relies heavily on fossil fuels and non-renewable resources. We need to restructure our energy system step by step, and China can partner with Peru to help us achieve this goal," Ambassador Vasquez elaborated.
Vusal Gurbanov, second secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in China, told the Global Times that as an important blueprint for China's development, China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) will also create new opportunities for Global South countries. He noted that the plan offers broad prospects for cooperation with Asian countries, including Azerbaijan, in connectivity, green energy, the digital economy, logistics, industrial modernization and innovation. China's commitment to high-standard opening-up, technological innovation and green development will further expand bilateral cooperation and promote regional connectivity and shared prosperity across Eurasia.

Moreover, 2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the Global Development Initiative (GDI).

Gurbanov also highlighted it as an important platform for sustainable and inclusive development. Azerbaijan strongly supports the initiative, which provides opportunities in economic diversification, green development, digital transformation, infrastructure connectivity and innovation-driven growth. He stressed that deeper cooperation between China and other countries can advance mutual development and regional prosperity.

By strengthening practical cooperation and regional connectivity, Asian countries and China can advance mutually beneficial development and contribute to a more prosperous and resilient region, he affirmed.

Ambassador Vasquez noted that for the Global South, the GDI is meaningful because: Development requires innovation, and infrastructure is critical for real development - not just growth. Growth does not equal development. Development means balanced, inclusive progress.

The GDI helps the Global South rethink how to pursue sustainable development. It provides a valuable framework for dialogue and cooperation among developing countries, Vasquez said.

Oscar Felipe Rueda, commercial counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Colombia in China, told the Global Times that thanks to China's high-level opening-up, "We see that China has successfully strengthened its integration into the global economy, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth and becoming one of the key engines of global economic growth."

Felipe added that China is a reliable economic partner and a key driver of global growth. He highlighted growing opportunities for cooperation, especially in the EV sector, and expressed hope that Chinese automakers will invest and manufacture in Colombia to support local industrial development.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called on Party members in the new era to carry forward revolutionary traditions and strive for new accomplishments on the new journey.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to Zhang Liansheng, a 102-year-old Party member with Xinhua News Agency, ahead of the 105th founding anniversary of the CPC.

Recently, the Philippine side has repeatedly hyped up an alleged "new structure" that was observed inside the lagoon of China's Huangyan Dao. On Wednesday local time, the Philippine authorities held a briefing, releasing what it called "details" of the so-called floating structure found at China's Huangyan Dao, along with related aerial images, while making irresponsible remarks about China's normal activities at Huangyan Dao.

The Global Times reporter has learned that the so-called "new structure" at Huangyan Dao recently hyped by the Philippine side is in fact temporary scientific research facilities set up there by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The facilities are floating in-situ sampling and experimental platforms that can be used to enhance ecological understanding and forecasting of Huangyan Dao.

Regarding the Philippine side's hype over the so-called "new structure" at Huangyan Dao, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons responded twice at regular press conferences respectively on June 5 and June 9. The spokespersons said China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters. Any activities carried out by China at Huangyan Dao, including scientific research, are the legitimate rights of a sovereign country.

China has long made public the scientific research nature of the new facilities at Huangyan Dao. However, the Philippine side has chosen to ignore China's efforts to protect the ecology of islands and reefs in the South China Sea and has continued its smear campaign. According to Philippine media outlets including ABS-CBN, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela displayed photos of the so-called "new structure" recently taken by the Philippine Coast Guard at a briefing on June 10 local time.

Tarriela described the so-called "new structure" as a movable floating platform with a deck area of more than 30 square meters and fitted with metal poles. The chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Romeo Brawner claimed in an official statement that the structure appeared to be equipped with antennas and that personnel were seen on it. As for the scientific research activities that China had made public, Tarriela gave a vague response, claiming he did not know its specific purpose. Some Philippine officials also claimed that China's activities could be a precursor to more permanent facilities.

After a series of strenuous "performances" by Philippine officials, the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which carried out the scientific research activity, released information on June 10 about the research operation and the results achieved.
The South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences said that since May 20, 2026, it has led a comprehensive scientific expedition on the development, evolution and ecological resilience of Huangyan Dao. The expedition aims to deepen understanding of the patterns and trends in the development and evolution of Huangyan Dao's islands and reefs, the mechanisms sustaining coral reef biodiversity, and their ecological connectivity with islands and reefs in the Xisha and Nansha areas. So far, the research team has conducted a comprehensive survey covering the entire Huangyan Dao atoll.

The so-called "new structure" hyped by the Philippine side is in fact a floating in-situ sampling and experimental platform set up by the research team in the waters of Huangyan Dao. The platform can be used for core sampling, time-series observation of environmental factors, and in-situ experiments.

The samples and experimental data obtained from the expedition are of great value for studying the historical development process of Huangyan Dao, the physiological and ecological responses of coral reef organisms to changes in environmental factors, assessing geomorphological evolution and ecological changes in the protected area, and predicting the impact of global climate change, overfishing and other human activities on the ecological security of Huangyan Dao.

"The Philippine side should clearly recognize that the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve established by the Chinese government will not exist in name only. Instead, China will only step up its protection of Huangyan Dao," Yang Xiao, a research fellow at the Institute of Peaceful Development under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Yang said such protection is reflected in two aspects: On the one hand, China will not allow Philippine personnel to enter Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters to carry out destructive activities; on the other hand, China will make the protection of Huangyan Dao's ecology a priority, not only reducing the impact of human activities on the ecological security of Huangyan Dao, but also intensifying scientific research and accelerating ecological restoration there.

He further noted that Philippine officials often speculate that China may build "permanent facilities" at Huangyan Dao -- such smears are in fact a case of "judging others by one's own petty standards." China has exercised effective control over Huangyan Dao, with maritime rights protection and law-enforcement forces maintaining a regular presence there.

"We can see that since last year, the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the China Coast Guard have issued monthly updates on combat-readiness patrols and law-enforcement patrols in the territorial waters, airspace and surrounding areas of China's Huangyan Dao," Yang said.

Yang said the Philippine side should recognize the reality that it cannot "meddle in" China's Huangyan Dao, face up to China's continued, peaceful and effective exercise of sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao, and stop its crude and meaningless sensationalization.

Teodoro is a representative figure of a handful of anti-China elements jumping up and down in the Philippines. His reckless and willful actions will inevitably bring about self-inflicted consequences, harming the interests of the entire country and all the people of the Philippines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday. 

Lin made the remarks in response to a media inquiry regarding China's announcement of sanctions the previous day against Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his relatives. A foreign reporter asked which specific statements made by Teodoro at what time constitute the anti-China fallacies used as the basis for China's sanctions against him.

Lin stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website has already published the details and the decision regarding the sanctions against Teodoro and his relatives, which explain the specific circumstances. "Prior to this, my colleagues and I have also stated China's solemn position regarding the fallacies Teodoro has uttered about China, which you can refer to," Lin said. 

In response to a media inquiry regarding reports that the city of Nagasaki plans to complete updates to exhibition panels at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum during fiscal year 2026, including replacing the term "Nanjing Massacre" with "Nanjing Incident" on a display panel, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that the Nanjing Massacre was a brutal crime committed by Japanese militarism, with overwhelming and irrefutable evidence, and that history must not be distorted. 

She said the Tokyo Trial explicitly determined that the atrocities committed by Japanese forces in Nanjing constituted a "massacre," not an "incident." Mao said the judgment of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East devoted a special section to the atrocities in Nanjing and, based on extensive survivor testimonies, records by third-party foreign witnesses, and Japanese military archives, established through an international judicial ruling the grave crimes committed by the invading Japanese army during the Nanjing Massacre.

Mao said that General Iwane Matsui, held responsible for the Nanjing Massacre, was sentenced to death by hanging as a Class-A war criminal and stressed that history must not be overturned. She added that many Japanese atomic bomb survivors, civic groups in Nagasaki, and other people of insight have called for a correct and complete account of the crimes and history of Japanese militarism as an aggressor. 

Japan should deeply reflect on its wartime crimes and responsibilities and make a clean break with militarism, Mao said. 

At the invitation of Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, Seah Kian Peng, speaker of the Parliament of Singapore, will lead a delegation to visit China from June 8 to 13. 

A Chinese anti-epidemic medical expert team arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on Tuesday for a three-month mission to support the Central African country's response to the Ebola outbreak, Xinhua News Agency reported.  

Luku Maleyo Marius, a representative of the DRC Ministry of Health, welcomed the team at the airport, saying that China's dispatch of the medical experts represents timely and strong support for the Congolese government and people, according to Xinhua. 

Whenever the DRC faces major public health challenges, China has consistently extended timely assistance, he said, adding that he looks forward to the mission further strengthening the country's epidemic prevention, control and treatment capacities, and helping bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible.

The assistance effort came after the World Health Organization determined on May 17 that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC constituted a "public health emergency of international concern," with a host of nations such as the US, Canada, Thailand and Vietnam ramped up border inspections and introduced restrictive entry requirements to guard against the spread of the virus.

Speaking with the Global Times on Monday evening ahead of their departure, team members noted the assistance mission embodies China's commitment to global anti-epidemic cooperation. The experts will adapt proven epidemic control experience to local realities and help strengthen the DRC's capacity for Ebola prevention and clinical care.

China experience

The latest outbreak is the 17th in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976, and laboratory tests identified the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, according to media reports. 

WHO told the Global Times in a previous response that case fatality rates in the past two Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreaks, reported in Uganda and in DRC in 2007 and 2012, have ranged from approximately 30 percent to 50 percent. No specific treatment exists for BVD, but early supportive care improves survival.

Members of the Chinese expert team this time have extensive experience in epidemic prevention and control and bring expertise in public health as well as traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Working alongside the China Medical Teams already in the DRC, they will support local Ebola prevention and control efforts and promote cooperation with local medical and disease control institutions.

Before departing from Beijing Capital International Airport, the leader of the expert team, Lu Ming, Second-level Inspector from Department of International Cooperation of National Health Commission (NHC), told the Global Times that China has dispatched experts in different fields, and the team will fully leverage their professional expertise and, based on firsthand epidemiological information, develop targeted prevention and control measures to support outbreak response and management.

Under the guidance of the Chinese Embassy in the DRC, the team will also work with Chinese institutions, enterprises and local Chinese communities to promote public awareness of epidemic prevention, strengthen frontline preparedness and reduce the risk of imported cases to China, Lu said.

Another member of the expert team, Xu Ke, director of Hepatitis Laboratory from National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Global Times that his work focuses on laboratory collaboration, including virus testing and analysis, monitoring viral mutations, exploring improved diagnostic methods, and examining genetic sequence changes.

Apart from the virus's deadly risks, the complicated social conditions in epidemic zones constitute one of the biggest obstacles to containment, Xu told the Global Times. "Core affected areas are located in conflict zones with tangled geopolitical situations and restricted population mobility, rendering epidemic prevention much harder than previous efforts."

Confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC have reached 343, the country's Health Minister Roger Kamba said Monday, cited by the Congolese Press Agency, the country's official news outlet, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

BVD is a zoonotic disease, with fruit bats suspected to be the natural reservoir. Human infection occurs through close contact with the blood or secretions of infected wildlife, and subsequently spreads from person to person through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces or items, WHO introduced.

Regardless of the strain, early and active supportive treatment can significantly reduce the mortality rate, and the key lies in early detection and timely intervention, Jiang Rongmeng, vice president of Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University and another member of the expert team, told the Global Times.

Experience from previous infectious disease responses in Africa shows that countries prone to Ebola outbreaks often share similar public health and economic conditions, as well as cultural practices that create conditions conducive for virus transmission, said Jiang, who was also a member of the expert team that participated in China's 2014 aid mission to Africa to combat the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus.

Traditional burial practices in the DRC often involve washing, touching or staying close to the body. Therefore, as the Ebola virus can spread through contact with bodily fluids, unsafe burials are a major driver of new transmission chains, according to a report by Xinhua.

Jiang added that prevention and control of an outbreak need to take into account both natural and social factors, as natural factors include exposure risks from the ecological environment such as wild animals and social factors include traditional burial practices, Jiang said.

"Against this backdrop, this brings us back to China's experience in infectious disease prevention and control, characterized by full public mobilization. Infectious disease control is not only the responsibility of experts or the government, but the whole society. This approach enables developing countries to contain diseases at relatively low cost rather than relying on expensive equipment or advanced facilities," Jiang said.

Continued efforts

Chinese medical personnel have long been stationed in the DRC prior to the expert team's arrival. Since the outbreak began, the 24th batch of Chinese medical teams assisting the DRC has promptly activated emergency response measures, established a prevention and control system, conducted training and drills, coordinated epidemic prevention supplies, and improved environmental sanitation at their base, per Xinhua.

These team members have remained on the front line of clinical care, strengthened infection prevention measures, provided guidance on epidemic control for Chinese-funded enterprises, and safeguarded the health of local residents as well as Chinese nationals in the country, according to Xinhua.

Already in 2014, an Ebola outbreak swept across Africa, with more than half of those infected losing their lives. While most countries withdrew their medical workers from Africa amid widespread panic, China's 24th medical team to Guinea headed into the epidemic-hit regions. They helped address critical gaps in local medical services and provided strong support for the local fight against Ebola, according to Health News, the media outlet affiliated with the NHC.

"Diseases know no borders," Lu said. In past responses to infectious diseases, the Chinese government has also received support and assistance from many countries. Following the declaration of the Ebola outbreak, China quickly dispatched a medical expert team and provided relevant material support, demonstrating its sense of duty as a responsible major country, Lu added.

"As a member of the expert team, I feel honored to contribute my expertise to the Ebola response, helping to achieve outbreak control goals and further advancing the vision of building a global community of health for all," Lu told the Global Times.

"China has a long-standing tradition of friendship with African countries. As practitioners, we are also committed to contributing our professional expertise," Xu said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a Monday press conference that China and Africa are good brothers sharing weal and woe. "We feel for the DRC over the new outbreak of Ebola." 

Supporting African countries' response to Ebola is a shining example of building the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, and also an important part of ten partnership actions of the 2024 FOCAC Beijing summit. "As we speak, Chinese medical teams are on the ground fighting the disease shoulder to shoulder with African people," the spokesperson added.