China-Vietnam cross-border tourism booms

With resources such as scenic spots, border towns, and ports integrated, several China-Vietnam cross-border tourism routes are popular, and self-drive trips across the border have begun to become routine.

Known as "China's Southern Gateway", Pingxiang is a key land route to ASEAN. In the first half of 2025, it welcomed 5.67 million visitors, including over 51,000 domestic tourists on cross-border tours – up 44.5 percent compared to the previous year.

This summer, increasing numbers of tourists are visiting the border. Pingxiang and Vietnam's Lang Son extended their border stay from one day to two days and one night, while Puzhai Style Street opened, transforming the area from a trade port into a tourism destination. Self-drive routes across the border are also becoming popular.

Starting in 2024, Pingxiang expanded self-drive routes into central Vietnam. By 2025, three groups, totaling 82 cars and 137 people, had toured Vietnam.

The first cross-border motorcycle self-drive group has been launched, providing a new travel option. Efforts are underway to enable Vietnamese tourists to drive to China.

Pingxiang and Vietnam are working on optimizing routes to improve scenic tourism. The 2025 Guangxi (Pingxiang) China-Vietnam Border Tourism Festival, scheduled for late August, will feature border tourism "gifts" such as discounted group tour fees.

It will extend beyond trade to include culture, sports, and other ASEAN nations, boosting regional cooperation.