China, ASEAN vow to enhance tourism cooperation

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang speaks at the launchingceremony of China-ASEAN Year of Tourism. [Photo: Xinhua]

China and theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday officially launchedthe China-ASEAN Year of Tourism, with two sides vowing to enhance tourismcooperation.

Chinese VicePremier Wang Yang attended the launching ceremony and made a speech in Manila,the capital city of the Philippines, where he is on a four-day visit.

Wang Yang saidChina and ASEAN have been enjoying rapid economic development and people'slivelihood has greatly improved, adding that a mass tourism era has come.

"China andASEAN are close friendly neighbors. We have been each other's largestdestinations of overseas visits and largest sources of overseas visitors,"he pointed out.

The Chinese vicepremier noted that tourism cooperation between the two sides enjoys brightprospect, vowing China will work with ASEAN countries to take the China-ASEANYear of Tourism as an opportunity to further upgrade the industry.

"We need tobuild more platforms for tourism cooperation to translate the consensus of ourleaders into more outcomes of practical cooperation," Wang Yang said.

Wanda Teo, tourismsecretary of the Philippines which holds the rotating chair of the ASEAN, saidconnectivity inside ASEAN has improved gradually in past years, and that peoplemove more freely within ASEAN with it as a single tourism destination.

"We celebratetoday the tourism cooperation year between China and ASEAN, we hope tourismorganizations of the two sides strengthen their cooperation, which will in turnbring more job opportunities and investments with it," she said.

Chinese Premier LiKeqiang and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte respectively sent theircongratulatory messages for the event.

Source：XinHua

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