On December 27, the opening ceremony of the 2021 ASEAN-China Culture and Tourism Week was held in Changsha. Zhang Xu, Chinese vice-minister of Culture and Tourism, delivered a written speech. He Baoxiang, vice governor of Hunan Province; Shao Qiwei, vice chairman of International Mountain Tourism Alliance; Atayut Xisam, Thai Ambassador to China; Chen Dehai, secretary-general of China-ASEAN Center; and, representatives of Embassy of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam in China attended.

Zhang Xu said in his written remarks that this year marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, and it is the ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation declared by leaders of China and ASEAN. At a special summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations, China and ASEAN agreed to elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Zhang Xu hoped the two sides will learn from each other and work together to overcome impacts of COVID-19 on cultural tourism industry, foster new highlights of ASEAN-China cultural tourism cooperation, and inject more impetus into the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

He Baoxiang said that Hunan constantly expands and deepens exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries. ASEAN has become Hunan’s largest trading partner. Hunan has established provincial sister cities with 11 ASEAN countries, opened international routes with all ten ASEAN countries, and planned and carried out a series of cultural and tourism cooperation and exchange activities with far-reaching influence such as "Splendid Xiaoxiang" held in ASEAN countries.

The culture and tourism week was "Jointly Build the ‘Belt and Road’ for Win-Win and Sustainable Development". It aimed to further strengthen culture and tourism cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn