Chinese travelers are canceling plans to visit Thailand during the Lunar New Year holiday, as concerns over the kidnapping of actor Wang Xing continue to reverberate through the country.

TOKYO -- As the Lunar New Year approaches, Japanese department stores are enlisting influencers in their battle to attract social media-conscious Chinese consumers.

Tourist spots near Japan's Mount Fuji are crowded with visitors from China and elsewhere ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.

Culture minister Rosanna Law enjoys Lam Tsuen wishing tree tradition on first day of Lunar New Year, as Airport Authority welcomes visitors.

China's Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, eight-day holiday kicked off on Tuesday. The government predicts people will make a record 9 billion trips around this season. The Spring Festival falls on Wednesday this year.

Food is also symbolic for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. In the North, Banh Chung, a sticky rice cake with banana leaves, is typically the most popular dish. In Central Vietnam, the savory Bánh Tét cake with rice and green beans is often used to celebrate the new year. Thịt Kho Tàu – a pork and egg dish – is very popular in South Vietnam.

To celebrate Lunar New Year, more Swiss watchmakers are dropping rare versions of their most popular timepieces than ever before. Here's why they are worth investing in

From Beijing to Hanoi and Moscow, the holiday — known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea — is a major festival celebrated by diaspora communities around the world. Wednesday marks the start of the Year of the Snake, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac.

Many began travelling on Jan. 14 and the rush will reach a peak over the weekend. In total, 9 billion trips — mostly by car — are expected over the 40-day travel rush.

Asia-Pacific markets rose on Thursday despite a sharp decline on Wall Street the previous day as investors reassessed the Fed's policy outlook after its widely expected decision to hold rates steady and acknowledged that inflation remains "somewhat elevated.

Asian shares mostly rose Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve opted not to cut interest rates for the first time since it began trying to help