The 2022 Discover China Cultural Tour, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is under way. During the event, foreign diplomats will travel to eight provinces and regions, including Yunnan, Hunan, Hebei, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Guangxi, and Hainan to experience Chinese culture. Thirteen diplomatic envoys from 10 countries including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Kingdom of Thailand would come to Changsha, Xiangxi, Zhangjiajie, and other places to start their Hunan Discovery Tour on July 22.

On the evening of July 22, Mao Weiming, deputy secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and governor of the People's Government of Hunan Province, met in Changsha with a delegation of diplomatic envoys to China headed by Ri Ryong-nam, DPRK's ambassador to China.

On the evening of July 22, Governor Mao met with Ambassador Ri in Changsha. (Photo/Liu Shangwen, Hunan Daily)

Arthayudh Srisamoot, Thai ambassador to China; He Baoxiang, vice governor of the People's Government of Hunan Province; and, Deng Qunce, secretary general of the People's Government of Hunan Province, attended.

Governor Mao welcomed the guests and briefed them on Hunan Province. He introduced that Hunan is a cultural and tourism powerhouse, with beautiful natural landscapes, a gathering of talents, rich red or revolutionary traditions, green environment, and antique culture. Since the beginning of this year, Hunan government has scientifically coordinated epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development. It has made every effort to build itself into a world-renowned tourist destination with the First Hunan Tourism Development Conference as the starting point. In the first half of the year, Hunan's tourism industry gradually recovered, receiving a total of 171 million domestic and foreign visits and achieving a tourism revenue of 257.2 billion yuan.

Seeing is believing, he noted, hoping that all the diplomatic envoys in China could take this visit to Hunan as an opportunity to appreciate the magnificent scenery of Hunan's landscape, experience the charm of Hunan's culture, and feel the prosperity of Hunan's development, so as to promote cooperation with Hunan in such fields as economic and trade, cultural tourism, and education. Hunan will unswervingly promote opening up to the world, continue to optimize the business environment, and provide high-quality services for friends from all over the world to develop in Hunan, he added.

Governor Mao takes a group photo with the delegates of the Hunan Discovery Tour of Diplomats in China. (Photo/Liu Shangwen, Hunan Daily)

Ambassador Ri and other envoys in China spoke highly of Hunan's effectiveness in coordinating epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, and highly praised Hunan's profound cultural heritage and rich tourism resources. They said that they will continue to promote friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between their countries and Hunan, and highly recommend the beauty of Hunan's history, landscape, and culture in their countries, so as to further enhance mutual friendship and facilitate people-to-people bonds.

After the meeting, the diplomats in China also attended the Hunan Culture and Tourism Promotion Conference.

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

Translator: Yu Jiangjiang

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn