Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

Recently, the phrase "the wind of Harbin has blown all the way to Southeast Asia" - highlighting "extreme temperature contrasts" - became one of the top three trending topics on Chinese social media. Behind the phrase is a vivid scene: "tropical" tourists from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia wandering the streets in minus 20 to 30 C, phones in hand, capturing their first breathtaking glimpse of the ice and snow.

The introduction of the 240-hour visa-free transit and unilateral visa-free policies is reflected just as clearly in the numbers. Since the New Year, cross-border passenger flows at the ports have grown more than 30 percent year-on-year. 

Harbin's rising fame is not the triumph of a single scenic feature but the combined effect of convenient policies and unique experiences. It reflects a tangible form of China's appeal.

The most practical obstacles to cross-border travel are often paperwork and distance. For many tourists considering travel to China, a key deciding factor is simply: "Is it convenient?" The 240-hour visa-free transit and unilateral visa-free policies directly respond to this reality. "Visa exemptions not only reduce fees but also cut down the time required for procedures. This convenience has a positive effect on promoting mutual tourism exchanges," said Gu Xiaosong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute at Hainan Tropical Ocean University. 

Moreover, Harbin airports recently added four new international routes - between Harbin and Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam, Bangkok in Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia - and increased flights from 87 to 118 per week. This effectively draws "air express lanes" on the map. Convenient visa policies and transportation are turning "wanting to come" into "being able to come."

While policy determines "if they can come," experience determines "whether it's worth their while." For many visitors from tropical and subtropical regions, a subzero environment is far removed from everyday life. Tourism experiences make the snow and ice more than just natural phenomena; they become a way to understand "what Harbin is," extending the value of the ice and snow experience.

"What truly makes this journey more than just 'seeing ice' is China's rich and diverse culture and its vast, eye-opening landscapes," Gu added. Visitors from Southeast Asia are not just "sightseeing"; they are coming to understand China.

On the streets, tourists encounter not only natural beauty but also the rhythm of urban order, public facilities, and daily life. The streets are orderly, public transport runs on time, and markets and shops are bustling yet organized. These details provide tourists with a tangible sense of how Chinese cities operate in practice. 

It is this layered experience that makes cross-border tourism more than just a consumption activity - it becomes a channel for cultural and lifestyle exchange. Policy convenience opens the door, while China's size and cultural richness provide unique experiences at every turn. Tourists take home more than just photos and memories, they also gain insight into the real China.

This understanding does not come from grand narratives but is formed through repeated, concrete experiences. "The wind of Harbin has blown all the way to Southeast Asia" - Chinese-style modern life unfolds in a perceptible way, forming genuine and lasting connections with the world and allowing China's appeal to be recognized and appreciated.