Twenty-seven-year-old Daipeng and his two friends have made their own Red Tourism plan for the May Day holiday. They decided to go to the Lugou Bridge, where Japan's all-out aggression of China started in 1937, and Xibaipo in north China's Hebei Province, temporary headquarters of the Communist Party of China Central Committee from 1947 to 1948.

China began to promote "red tourism" early this year to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Long March and to arouse patriotism among young people.

China's National Tourism Administration has named this year the "Year of Red Tourism" and has issued a list of "30 choice red tourism routes" and "100 classic red tourism sites", together with 12 other departments.

The administration believed this kind of tourism will bring many benefits. First, it will guide the public to remember great historical figures and their contributions. Second, it will help the economically backward former revolutionary bases catch up in economic development.

Tang Lian, a local tour guide in Beijing said more and more young people are choosing Red Tourism routes as their first choice in holidays. Some even drive their own cars to famous revolutionary bases like the Jinggang Mountains in east China's Jiangxi Province.

Liu Can, a Nanjing University student, said he decided to go to Beijing on May Day to sweep the grave and pay respect to late American journalist Edgar Snow, known as the writer of "Red Star over China." Snow arrived in Bao'an in northern Shaanxi Province in June, 1936, which was the site of the Chinese Red Army, and after interviewing Chinese revolutionary leaders and the Chinese Red Army, Snow compiled the noted book.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2005)