It's that time of year again – China's most important political event, the Two Sessions, is in the spotlight. Journalists from around the world are gathering in Beijing to cover China's economy, legislation, and policies, offering diverse perspectives on the country's development. Last year, Leota Marc Membrere from Samoa, a young journalist with Savali Newspaper, traveled thousands of miles to the Great Hall of the People for the event. How did this experience shape his understanding of China? What's his personal China story?

​Tungamirai Eric Mupona, hailing from Zimbabwe, is a doctoral student specializing in international affairs and global governance at Zhejiang University. The 26-year-old first arrived in China in 2017 as an undergraduate student of applied physics. But over time, his interests shifted from the physical sciences to a deeper exploration of societal dynamics. In this edition of Footprints, he shares with us his observations of China’s development, particularly the annual top political meetings known in China as “Lianghui” or the “Two Sessions”.

While athletes are competing at the 9th Asian Winter Games in China’s Northeastern city of Harbin, in a terrain park a thousand miles away, 6-year-old Snowflake is enjoying skiing and polishing her snowboarding tricks. In this edition of Footprints, we get the feel for the passion for winter sports among China’s younger generations.

The festive spirit fills the air in Harbin – the host city of the ninth Asian Winter Games. Nestled in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Harbin is beautifully adorned with vibrant decorations, and the Games' mascots, Binbin and Nini, have won many people's hearts. These figures, along with a series of visual elements for the Games, were crafted by a design team from the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, led by Professor Chen Lei. In this episode, we explore the mastermind behind the Games' visual identity.

Happy Chinese New Year! Minutes ago, the Chinese bade farewell to the Year of the Dragon and ushered in the Year of the Snake. As is the custom, the whole country celebrated the arrival of Chinese New Year with family gatherings, carefully prepared family dinners, and enjoyed the Spring Festival Gala. At the gala, an aspirational song performed by a girl choir from deep in the Daliangshan Mountainous region, and their happy faces, melted the hearts of many. Join Footprints as we meet members of the Niuniu Choir and learn the stories of these brave little girls.

​A translator, university teacher, linguist, jazz musician, crosstalk performer—David Moser has taken on various roles in his exploration of his life, professions and cultures. But these various roles originate from his passion and dedication to bridge Chinese and U.S. cultures. In this edition of Footprints, we talk to this multi-talented man to delve into his experience in China and his journey as an expert in the Chinese language and culture.

For Luo Dingjun, traveling between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland has become second nature. Born and raised in Taipei, the 37-year-old has built a life in Shenyang, a vibrant city in northeast China's Liaoning Province. As the founder of the WeChat Official Account "Cross-Strait Youths," Luo has spent over a decade fostering connections and understanding between people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

​Han Zhen and Zhou Liya, both born in the 1980s, are known as the "twin stars of the dance world". Over the past decade, the two choreographers have worked together and created six dance pieces, incorporating traditional Chinese culture into the art form. What are some of their most popular works? And why are they so appealing? Join us for this edition of Footprints to find out.

For Chinese gamers, Black Myth: Wukong, an action role-playing game has proven that it deserves all the hype and expectations. It not only created sales records for domestically made console games, but also claimed multiple international awards at the end of the year.

In this edition of footprints, let’s take a closer look at the legendary monkey Wukong, who has made the year 2024 “Year of the Monkey” for numerous gamers. We will also unveil the pilgrimage of the Black Myth: Wukong creators and how they helped Wukong fight his way to the altar of one of the best acclaimed game awards.

Stretching 7.8 kilometers from north to south through the heart of Beijing, the Central Axis is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. But this recognition didn't happen overnight. It took 12 years. Leading the effort was Lyu Zhou, director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua University, who was in charge of the compilation of the application documents. What makes the Central Axis so special? Why does it matter in today's world? Join us to discover the story behind this cultural treasure and its lasting significance.