第八号当铺

"Furnace city" emerges as "coolcation" magnet for global travelers_我的网站

一 | 武汉8月21日电（记者王承昊、余熙）2026年两岸关系研讨会20日至21日在武汉举行，160余位两岸有关人士和专家学者围绕“坚守民族大义共谋复兴伟业”这一主题集思广益、畅所欲言。

Foreign tourists enjoy hotpot while watching a Sichuan Opera face-changing performance inside a former air-raid shelter at the Underground City hotpot restaurant in Liangjiang New Area of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, July 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)Despite outdoor temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Australian tourist Roy Rostand was enjoying hotpot at a restaurant without air conditioning, apparently feeling no discomfort from the summer heat.
The answer to his comfort lies in the restaurant's unlikely location. This hotpot restaurant, named Underground City, is hidden inside a former air-raid shelter, one of the city's distinctive spaces offering natural coolness.
"It's amazing that the restaurant stays so cool even in scorching summer heat," Rostand said. "Chongqing has given me the chance to experience something I can't find in Australia."
Chongqing has long been dubbed one of China's "furnace cities" for its sweltering, humid summers. In July alone, the city endured 26 consecutive days of high heat, with temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius for a full week and topping out at a scorching 41.6 degrees.
The blazing heat, however, has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of global travelers. According to the Chongqing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, more than 610,000 inbound and outbound trips by foreign nationals were recorded at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in the first half of the year, marking an 86-percent surge year on year. The top five source countries were Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia.
European travelers proved to be a standout growth driver. Data from Trip.com shows that as of July 21, inbound travel bookings from Europe to Chongqing for this summer season climbed by over 40 percent year on year, while scenic spot ticket orders surged by 214.7 percent and activity-based bookings rocketed by a staggering 6,900 percent.
Thanks to China's visa-free policies and other travel facilitation measures, Chongqing is rapidly gaining traction as a go-to "coolcation" hotspot for international visitors. Creative cool-off spaces, diverse travel experiences and comprehensive summer services have all contributed to its rising appeal.
UNDERGROUND COOL
Chongqing's summer cooling secrets were first found underground. Since the late 1930s, the city has carved thousands of air-raid shelters into its mountainous terrain.
Once serving as sanctuaries for civilians during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, these spaces have now been repurposed as hotpot restaurants, tea houses and venues for Sichuan Opera performances, providing both refreshing coolness and preserving the city's living memories.
"The temperature inside the shelters remains around 25 degrees Celsius all year round, making them natural cool retreats," explained Wang Jing, marketing director of Underground City.
"We serve more than 300 tables a day on weekends," she added. "Right now, about one in every six diners is from overseas. And we're seeing more and more visitors from Southeast Asia and Europe."
Annika, a tourist from Germany, revealed that the restaurant has gone viral on overseas social media platforms. "We were attracted not only by this unique way of escaping the summer heat, but also by the opportunity to dine in a place filled with history and culture," she said.
CHASING CHILL
On August 1, Chongqing issued an orange heat alert. At a water park in its Fuling District, 10 tonnes of industrial ice were dumped directly into the wave pool. Half-submerged in the refreshing water, visitors could splash around or even play mahjong at custom-made tables in the pool.
This unique summer cooling scene has attracted coverage from mainstream media in countries including Russia and Canada, with overseas outlets reportedly dubbing it the most intriguing summer spectacle in China this year.
At Chongqing Xingrui international travel service, inquiries from cross-border travelers hailing from hot and humid regions such as Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia have risen notably in recent weeks.
Peng Hengcong, head of the travel agency, said they have rolled out themed tour products, including "cool retreats in the mountains" and "gorge rapids adventures," tailored to overseas visitors seeking summer cooling experiences. These products cover areas with higher altitudes or rich water systems in Chongqing, with the highlight being a "23°C summer" experience.
Luo Zibai, an expert with the China Tourism Academy, believes that Chongqing's sustained popularity among travelers lies in its ability to fully leverage its distinctive strengths and develop differentiated tourism products that offer a broad spectrum of experiences.
URBAN REFUGE
Chongqing is weaving a citywide "cooling network" -- ranging from shopping malls to public facilities, and from indoor spaces to outdoor areas.
At a shopping mall called The Ring in the city, visitors are greeted not by endless rows of shops, but by a lush indoor rainforest. With misting systems and carefully designed lighting, the mall keeps the temperature at about 21 degrees Celsius, creating a cool, dreamy summer escape.
"I like Chongqing a lot because it has its own character," said Bilal Badri, who was visiting from the Netherlands. "The way nature and the city's landscape blend together here is just perfect."
The cool experience extends beyond the mall. In the Mountain City Alley historic district, a 400-meter-long pedestrian walkway has been transformed into a "cooling corridor," where misting systems and shaded areas reduce the perceived temperature by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius.
In addition, since July 8, Chongqing's rail transit system has set up cooling zones in 158 metro stations, offering free air-conditioned spaces and heat-relief supplies to residents and tourists alike.
"Chongqing's creative and thoughtful ways to help people beat the summer heat are impressive. It's really interesting to discover these unique experiences," said Alexandra, a Romanian tourist. "This time I didn't stay long enough to explore more of the city, and I'm planning to come back in the near future."
。与会人士认为，两岸同胞同根同源，是休戚与共的命运共同体，要站在历史正确的一边、民族正义的一边。

二 | 广大台湾同胞要顺应历史大势、秉持民族大义，和大陆同胞一道守护中华民族共同家园，为推进国家统一、谋求民族复兴共同奋斗。 “统一势在必行，台湾民众不要误以为可以永远‘维持现状’。”台湾《观察》杂志发行人纪欣说，部分台湾民众对统一的最大担忧是怕不能保有现行的社会制度和生活方式，但制度不同不是分裂的借口，只要承认两岸同属一中，两岸随时可以通过平等协商谈判，实现和平统一。希望更多台湾同胞能树立正确的国家和民族认同，发挥爱国主义传统，把推进国家完全统一当作自己的一项光荣事业。全国台湾研究会副会长王卫星认为，台湾社会很有必要理性看待大陆发展与两岸统一前景。大陆提出的“一国两制”是立足两岸同胞福祉的安民良策，充分尊重台湾现有社会制度、生活方式与风俗习惯，全面保障台湾同胞财产、医疗、就业等合法权益，最大限度规避战争风险，让台湾同胞深度共享中华民族伟大复兴的时代红利。研讨会上，与会人士分析当前台海形势和台湾前途所在，表达了对实现祖国完全统一的强烈愿望，并积极建言献策。

三 | 台湾铭传大学两岸研究中心主任杨开煌提出，可以善用先进技术赋能两岸交流。他认为，大陆的进步是实打实的，应通过AI智能生活、人机协作等新鲜体验，让台湾同胞尤其是青年到大陆体验一种“未来感的生活”，看到大陆未来发展的无限可能，促进两岸和平发展与深度融合。台湾亚太综合研究院高级研究员钟琴表示，两岸关系一大症结是台湾民众的错误认知惯性。

四 | 岛内民众获取大陆客观资讯渠道受限，叠加民进党当局制造的“寒蝉效应”，部分人由此产生对大陆的排斥心理。当前大陆发展成就举世瞩目，国际社会深度关注大陆治理实践，这一聚光灯效应有助于台湾青年看见大陆发展机遇，逐步消解偏见。全国台联副会长杨毅周表示，长期以来，“台独”分裂势力大肆推动“去中国化”，试图将台湾同胞的认同引向错误方向。但当前台湾社会认同尚未固化，仍可建构和转化。随着两岸关系不断发展、中国式现代化不断推进，台湾同胞建构正确国家认同的趋势越来越明显。我们要继续深化两岸各领域融合发展，促进两岸同胞不断相互了解、理解、尊重和认同。

五 | “两岸同胞携手守护中华民族共同家园天经地义，是不容置疑的历史使命，每个人都可从自身角度和条件出发参与其中。”上海东亚研究所所长王海良呼吁，台湾同胞要增进对祖国大陆大好河山和社会巨大进步的了解，增进对和平统一利于两岸、区域和全球的认识，与“台独”分裂势力和外来干涉势力进行坚决斗争，与大陆同胞一同克难奋进，坚守民族大义，携手开创美好前景。