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專訪中國—東盟中心秘書長楊秀萍：2017 旅游合作年將為中國—東盟發(fā)展注入強勁動力

□ 文/中國—東盟中心

2017年是中國—東盟旅游合作年，近日中國—東盟中心秘書長楊秀萍在接受媒體采訪時表示，中國—東盟旅游合作年將為中國—東盟發(fā)展注入強勁動力。

據(jù)楊秀萍秘書長介紹，2016年9月在老撾萬象舉行的第19次中國—東盟領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人會議上，雙方領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人共同將2017年確定為中國—東盟旅游合作年，期待中國與東盟加強合作，開展一系列活動，促進雙方人員往來。中國國務(wù)院總理李克強在會議上提出，以教育和旅游合作為優(yōu)先方向，將人文交流合作打造成中國—東盟關(guān)系的新支柱，他還提出，中方愿與東盟探討制訂旅游合作計劃，確立2020年雙方人員往來達到3000萬人次的目標。這充分體現(xiàn)了雙方對旅游合作的高度重視，為未來合作指明了方向，描繪了新的美好藍圖。

旅游是傳播文明、交流文化、增進友誼的橋梁，是人與人最直接、最自然的交流方式。2017年也是聯(lián)合國確定的“國際可持續(xù)旅游發(fā)展年”。楊秀萍秘書長說：“開展中國—東盟旅游合作年活動，不僅符合中國和東盟的共同利益，有利于增進相互理解和友誼，加強文化互鑒，也將為本地區(qū)乃至世界的經(jīng)濟社會可持續(xù)發(fā)展做出重要貢獻。我相信，在雙方共同努力和社會各界廣泛參與下，2017年旅游合作年一定會為中國—東盟關(guān)系增添亮麗色彩，注入強勁動力?！?/p>

楊秀萍秘書長表示，中國和東盟互為重要的客源輸出地和旅游目的地，雙方開展旅游合作具有獨特優(yōu)勢，前景廣闊。一是地緣和人文優(yōu)勢。中國與東盟國家是近鄰，或山水相連，或隔海相望，文化習(xí)俗相通相近，歷史交往源遠流長，獨特的地緣和人文紐帶將中國和東盟國家緊密聯(lián)系在一起。二是資源和市場優(yōu)勢。中國和東盟國家旅游資源豐富，都有著光輝燦爛的歷史傳統(tǒng)、豐富多彩的民族文化和壯美秀麗的自然風(fēng)光。三是政策和發(fā)展優(yōu)勢。中國和東盟國家都處在快速發(fā)展的關(guān)鍵階段，都更加重視旅游產(chǎn)業(yè)發(fā)展，彼此將對方作為重要的合作伙伴。據(jù)了解，中國正根據(jù)東盟國家游客入境旅游發(fā)展情況，積極研究制定相關(guān)便利化政策措施。東盟也制定了《東盟旅游戰(zhàn)略發(fā)展規(guī)劃（2016-2025）》，致力于打造高品質(zhì)旅游目的地。

圍繞2017年中國—東盟旅游合作年，雙方正在積極策劃相關(guān)活動。2016年10月，首屆中國—東盟旅游部門會議在廣西桂林召開。會議就推動建立中國—東盟旅游部門交流合作機制、籌辦旅游年相關(guān)活動等達成廣泛共識。東盟結(jié)合2017年成立50周年，推出了“來東盟旅游＠50黃金慶典計劃”，以進一步強化共同體建設(shè)并打造東盟旅游熱點，重點宣傳推介域內(nèi)50個知名景點和50場熱門活動。東盟將中國作為這一計劃的重要推廣方向，在2016年的中國國際旅游交易會上舉行了啟動儀式暨新聞發(fā)布會。

而在中國—東盟旅游合作年內(nèi)，中國—東盟中心又將有什么新的規(guī)劃呢？

“中心始終高度重視旅游合作，充分發(fā)揮自身優(yōu)勢，積極為加強各國政府、旅游機構(gòu)交流合作牽線搭橋、提供服務(wù)。一是支持和參與旅游交流合作平臺建設(shè)；二是助力東盟國家制定旅游發(fā)展政策；三是在東盟國家開展旅游職業(yè)培訓(xùn)；四是多種形式推介中國和東盟國家旅游資源?！睏钚闫济貢L說。

結(jié)合2017年中國—東盟旅游合作年，中心精心規(guī)劃設(shè)計了3個旗艦項目，分別是“促進中國—東盟旅游交流多樣化發(fā)展”、“舉辦中國—東盟生態(tài)旅游發(fā)展研討會”和“旅游從業(yè)者能力建設(shè)培訓(xùn)班”。中心將組織實施一系列雙向交流活動，包括計劃合作拍攝東盟旅游資源紀錄片，全面展示東盟旅游特色；在中國舉辦中國—東盟旅游節(jié)活動，展示東盟傳統(tǒng)文化、特色美食和旅游產(chǎn)品等，擴大東盟旅游對中國民眾的吸引力；通過舉辦研討會、培訓(xùn)班等繼續(xù)協(xié)助東盟國家深化對中國旅游市場的了解，進一步提升對中國游客的服務(wù)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)