专访中国—东盟中心秘书长杨秀萍：2017 旅游合作年将为中国—东盟发展注入强劲动力

□ 文/中国—东盟中心

专访中国—东盟中心秘书长杨秀萍：2017 旅游合作年将为中国—东盟发展注入强劲动力

□ 文/中国—东盟中心

2017年是中国—东盟旅游合作年，近日中国—东盟中心秘书长杨秀萍在接受媒体采访时表示，中国—东盟旅游合作年将为中国—东盟发展注入强劲动力。

据杨秀萍秘书长介绍，2016年9月在老挝万象举行的第19次中国—东盟领导人会议上，双方领导人共同将2017年确定为中国—东盟旅游合作年，期待中国与东盟加强合作，开展一系列活动，促进双方人员往来。中国国务院总理李克强在会议上提出，以教育和旅游合作为优先方向，将人文交流合作打造成中国—东盟关系的新支柱，他还提出，中方愿与东盟探讨制订旅游合作计划，确立2020年双方人员往来达到3000万人次的目标。这充分体现了双方对旅游合作的高度重视，为未来合作指明了方向，描绘了新的美好蓝图。

旅游是传播文明、交流文化、增进友谊的桥梁，是人与人最直接、最自然的交流方式。2017年也是联合国确定的“国际可持续旅游发展年”。杨秀萍秘书长说：“开展中国—东盟旅游合作年活动，不仅符合中国和东盟的共同利益，有利于增进相互理解和友谊，加强文化互鉴，也将为本地区乃至世界的经济社会可持续发展做出重要贡献。我相信，在双方共同努力和社会各界广泛参与下，2017年旅游合作年一定会为中国—东盟关系增添亮丽色彩，注入强劲动力。”

杨秀萍秘书长表示，中国和东盟互为重要的客源输出地和旅游目的地，双方开展旅游合作具有独特优势，前景广阔。一是地缘和人文优势。中国与东盟国家是近邻，或山水相连，或隔海相望，文化习俗相通相近，历史交往源远流长，独特的地缘和人文纽带将中国和东盟国家紧密联系在一起。二是资源和市场优势。中国和东盟国家旅游资源丰富，都有着光辉灿烂的历史传统、丰富多彩的民族文化和壮美秀丽的自然风光。三是政策和发展优势。中国和东盟国家都处在快速发展的关键阶段，都更加重视旅游产业发展，彼此将对方作为重要的合作伙伴。据了解，中国正根据东盟国家游客入境旅游发展情况，积极研究制定相关便利化政策措施。东盟也制定了《东盟旅游战略发展规划（2016-2025）》，致力于打造高品质旅游目的地。

围绕2017年中国—东盟旅游合作年，双方正在积极策划相关活动。2016年10月，首届中国—东盟旅游部门会议在广西桂林召开。会议就推动建立中国—东盟旅游部门交流合作机制、筹办旅游年相关活动等达成广泛共识。东盟结合2017年成立50周年，推出了“来东盟旅游＠50黄金庆典计划”，以进一步强化共同体建设并打造东盟旅游热点，重点宣传推介域内50个知名景点和50场热门活动。东盟将中国作为这一计划的重要推广方向，在2016年的中国国际旅游交易会上举行了启动仪式暨新闻发布会。

而在中国—东盟旅游合作年内，中国—东盟中心又将有什么新的规划呢？

“中心始终高度重视旅游合作，充分发挥自身优势，积极为加强各国政府、旅游机构交流合作牵线搭桥、提供服务。一是支持和参与旅游交流合作平台建设；二是助力东盟国家制定旅游发展政策；三是在东盟国家开展旅游职业培训；四是多种形式推介中国和东盟国家旅游资源。”杨秀萍秘书长说。

结合2017年中国—东盟旅游合作年，中心精心规划设计了3个旗舰项目，分别是“促进中国—东盟旅游交流多样化发展”、“举办中国—东盟生态旅游发展研讨会”和“旅游从业者能力建设培训班”。中心将组织实施一系列双向交流活动，包括计划合作拍摄东盟旅游资源纪录片，全面展示东盟旅游特色；在中国举办中国—东盟旅游节活动，展示东盟传统文化、特色美食和旅游产品等，扩大东盟旅游对中国民众的吸引力；通过举办研讨会、培训班等继续协助东盟国家深化对中国旅游市场的了解，进一步提升对中国游客的服务水平。

F rom 28 to 30 November 2016, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) arranged for a visit to Panzhihua City of Sichuan Province by the delegation of the ASEAN Committee in Beijing (ACB), during which the ACB delegation visited Pangang Group Rail & Beam Plant, Zhuangshang Tourism Village, Lixin Gardening & Flower Base, Puda Sunshine International Health, Pension and Vacation Community, Juque Inkstone Museum, Sago Cycas Garden of Panzhihua Park, etc. The field trips enabled them to acquire more knowledge about the history, culture, and the development of iron and steel industry, tourism, and ecological agriculture in Panzhihua City. They exchanged views with officials and representatives from local government departments and enterprises on ways and means to expand friendly cooperation between ASEAN countries and Panzhihua City.

Members of the delegation were impressed by the fine weather condition and abundant mineral resources of Panzhihua City as well as its achievements in health industry, ecological tourism, and modern agriculture. They thanked Panzhihua City for its warm hospitality and believed that the Panzhihua-ASEAN International Trade City would mark a new start for closer cooperation between ASEAN countries and Panzhihua City. The trip gave them a new perspective on Panzhihua City and demonstrated the strong desire of the local authority to increase cooperation with ASEAN countries. The embassies and consulates general of ASEAN countries to China expressed their readiness to continue to strengthen contact with Panzhihua City and work actively to increase friendly exchanges, boost friendship between the people of both sides and raise bilateral cooperation to a new level for win-win outcomes.

During the visit, Secretary-General Yang Xiuping gave an interview to thePanzhihua Daily, thePanzhihua Evening, and the Panzhihua Broadcasting and TV on the prospects for Panzhihua-ASEAN cooperation, the mandate and work of ACC, and so on.

Delegation of ASEAN Committee in Beijing visited Panzhihua City.

R ecently, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre expressed in an interview that 2017 marks the Year of ASEANChina Tourism Cooperation, which will inject greater impetus into ASEAN-China development.

Last September, at the 19thChina-ASEAN Summit held in Vientiane, the Lao PDR, leaders of both sides set 2017 as the ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation, with a view to increasing cooperation and personnel exchanges through a host of activities. Chinese Premier Li Keqiangstressed at the Summit the importance of prioritizing education and tourism cooperation and making peopleto-people exchanges a new pillar for ASEAN-China relations. He also expressed China’s readiness to discuss a plan for tourism cooperation and set a target to achieve 30 million mutual visits by 2020. This fully demonstrates the commitment of both sides to tourism cooperation and charts the course for future cooperation.

Tourism, as the most direct and natural way for peopleto-people contact, will help promote cultural exchanges and boost friendship. The United Nations has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. According to H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, it will definitely serve the common interests of ASEAN and China to carry out various activities in this important year for tourism cooperation. Moreover, it will contribute greatly to the sustainable development of the region and beyond. She is confident that, with the concerted efforts of both sides and the wide participation of people from all walks of life, the Year of Tourism Cooperation will inject strong impetus into ASEAN-China relations.

H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping also indicated that ASEAN and China are each other’s important source and destination of tourism. There are unique advantages and broad prospects for the two sides to carry out tourism cooperation. First, geographical and cultural advantages. ASEAN countries and China are close neighbors connected by mountains, rivers and sea. Similar cultures and customs, a long history of friendly exchanges and geographical proximity have brought ASEAN countries and China close to each other. Second, resource and market advantages. China and ASEAN countries boast abundant natural resources, splendid culture, history and tradition, and fascinating natural landscapes. Third, policy and development advantages. As ASEAN countries and China are now at a crucial stage of rapid growth, they put greater emphasis on the development of the tourism sector and regard each other as an important cooperation partner. According to H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, China is working on more favorable policies and measures in light of the tourism development of ASEAN countries. ASEAN has also endorsed theASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025with its vision to make ASEAN a quality tourism destination.

Currently, both sides are actively planning for relevant activities to celebrate the Year of Tourism Cooperation. Last October, at the first ASEAN-China National Tourism Organizations Meeting held in Guilin, China, broad consensus was reached on strengthening new tourism cooperation platforms of ASEAN and China and on preparations for the events related to the Year of Tourism Cooperation. At the same time, ASEAN has already launched “Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration 2017” to mark the 50thAnniversary of ASEAN. This campaign is designed to further strengthen ASEAN Community building and foster popular tourism destinations. It involves 50 excellent travel experiences and 50 highlight events. China is among the key target audience of the campaign which was launched during the China International Travel Mart 2016 in Shanghai with the support of ACC.

Against that backdrop, what does ACC plan to achieve in the Year of Tourism Cooperation?

H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping said that ACC has all along attached importance to tourism cooperation. By leveraging its strengths, ACC has worked actively to facilitate exchanges and cooperation between governments and tourism agencies: Supporting and engaging in the building of platforms for tourism cooperation; assisting ASEAN countries in drafting their national tourism development policies; carrying out professional training in ASEAN countries; and promoting the bilateral tourism resources in various forms.

To mark the Year of ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation and echo ASEAN’s tourism campaign“Visit ASEAN@50 Golden Celebration 2017”, ACC has designed three flagship projects in tourism, namely, “Promoting the Diversified ASEAN-China Tourism Resources”, “ASEAN-China Eco-tourism Development Seminar”, and “ASEAN-China Tourism Capacity Building Project”. We will carry out a series of activities to promote tourism resources and products both in ASEAN and China and enhance people-topeople exchanges, including organizing ASEAN-China Tourism Festival, planning documentaries shooting on ASEAN tourism destinations, exploring the potential of Eco-tourism of ASEAN and China, and helping ASEAN countries better understand the needs of Chinese tourists and improve tourism services.

Delegation of ASEAN Committee in Beijing Visited Panzhihua City

By ASEAN-China Centre (ACC)

H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre: The Year of ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation Will Inject Strong Impetus Into ASEAN-China Development

By ASEAN-China Centre (ACC)