A recent video of American tech podcaster Lex Fridman and British travel vlogger Mike Okay hitchhiking through rural Shaanxi went viral online. The footage showed local residents offering remarkable warmth to the foreign visitors, despite not speaking English, a simple act of kindness that resonated with many viewers. 

Luke Johnston, a PhD graduate from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a British vlogger who has lived in China for almost seven years, said Fridman’s video inspired him to share another side of rural China. He noted that by 2026, China’s transport network had become highly developed, with railways, airports, ride-hailing services and car rental platforms making travel increasingly convenient across much of the country. 

In northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where Luke now lives, he said transportation has become so accessible that “a ride is often just a tap away.” Beyond hitchhiking, he added, there are now much easier ways to explore rural China, including renting a car and driving wherever you want.