“People are the best bridge for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Closer people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning, for that matter, is a sure way to eliminate estrangement and misunderstanding and promote mutual understanding among nations.” “The Chinese people often say, ‘The world is a big place, and I want to see just more of it.’ What I want to say to you today is that the Chinese market is such a big one that you should all come and see what it has to offer.” In 2019, President Xi Jinping has demonstrated China’s resolve and confidence for opening-up in many major diplomatic events hosted by China. “China today is more than the country itself; it is very much a part of Asia and the world.”
This concept or proposal has also been integrated to the foreign exchanges of culture and tourism in 2019. As Luo Shugang, minister of Culture and Tourism, said, “the exchanges and cooperation in culture and tourism are of great importance in the history of one of civilizations living and prospering together in diversity.” It is impressive to see the outcomes ranging from presenting culture and tourism in major diplomatic events in China to pursuing the active interactions of mutually hosting the year of culture and the the year of tourism, to building cultural brands, such as “Happy Spring” and “Beautiful China”.
The year of 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It is also a crucial year to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. There are fruitful results in Chinese diplomacy.
In April, 2019, the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation took place in Beijing and the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing kicked off; in May, the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations commenced; in November, the Second China International Import Expo was hosted in Beijing. Among these diplomatic events, culture and tourism are of great use in beefing up cultural and people-to-people exchanges, enhancing mutual visits and deepening international exchanges.
The Belt and Road Initiative has seen fruitful results since it was brought up six years ago. The report, The Belt and Road Initiative Progress, Contributions and Prospects, released by the Office of the Leading Group for Promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, depicts the results of cultural and tourism cooperation: more than 3,200 cultural events showcasing the culture and ecology of participating countries were held during the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing, including concerts, dances, operas and displays of intangible cultural heritages, enabling the tourists to be fully immersed in a unique China and other glamorous countries; the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations creates a new platform for civilizations in Asia and beyond to engage in dialogue and exchanges on an equal footing to facilitate mutual learning, where gives full play to the role of culture and tourism to ensure that dialogue of Asian civilizations reaches new highs; the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), featuring exhibitions, transactions, forums and diplomatic events, has brought China and other countries closer through the dialogue of civilizations, cultural convergence and tourism cooperation.
Meanwhile, the head-of-state diplomacy has been put in place in response to major diplomatic events hosted by China. From Italy, Monaco and France at the beginning of the year, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and North Korea in the middle, Nepal and Greece at the end of the year, President Xi’s visits have brought benefits to culture and tourism, such as the year of culture and the year of tourism were held mutually to further reinforce cultural and tourism cooperation.
“China has nurtured large-scale, deep and close international exchanges in culture and tourism, contributing to the community with a shared future for human-being. It has demonstrated the role of culture and tourism especially in supporting the head-of-state diplomacy and major diplomacy in China” said Yang Jingsong, director of the China Tourism Academy’s International Tourism Research Center.
As one of important outcomes of major country diplomacy, the campaigns of the year of culture and the year of tourism in 2019 have bolstered people-to-people exchanges, practical cooperation in various fields, and benefited people in the world.
In January, 2019, the year of 2019 was designated as the “China-Cambodia Year of Culture and Tourism” according to the Joint Press Communique between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is hoped to further expand civil exchanges and enhance mutual understanding and friendship of two peoples, especially between young generation.
Over the past year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has been proactively implementing important consensus reached by the two leaders to host the “China-Laos Year of Tourism”, the “China-Cambodia Year of Culture and Tourism”, “The Year of Tourism for China and Pacific Island Countries” and the “China-Zambia Year of Culture and Tourism”. Meanwhile, China and Italy will host the year of culture and tourism mutually in 2020. China and Greece are actively working towards hosting the year of culture and tourism mutually in 2021.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has taken “the year of culture” and “the year of tourism” as a good opportunity to combine the diplomatic events and the cultural and tourism campaigns, as well as “bring in” and “going global”. By virtue of various cultural and art performances, in-depth negotiation and professional forums, it has seen some effective results in cementing traditional friendship among countries, expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges and promoting people’s connectivity and practical cooperation.
Ma Yutao, head of the data center of Mafengwo, a tourism information-sharing website, said that some important events, such as international diplomatic exchanges, “the year of culture” and “the year of tourism”, will push forward the tourism substantially. On the occasion of the Year of Tourism for China and Pacific Island Countries, the popularity of Samoa surged by 132% and an increase of more than 70% has been seen in Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tonga.
“In order to welcome Chinese tourists, Samoa has geared up earlier to send local tourism workers to receive the training in China.” said Sonja Hunter, chief executive officer of the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA), prior to the 2019 Year of Tourism for China and Pacific Island Countries. Besides, SPTO Chief Executive Officer Christopher Cocker also expressed that they have researched the Chinese market so as to meet the needs of Chinese tourists.
In particular, a series of mechanisms for multilateral cultural and tourism cooperation have played a positive role in enhancing people’s connectivity. In 2019, the 11th Cultural Minister’s Meeting among the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and Japan were successfully held in Incheon, South Korea; the 4th Tourism Minister’s Meeting among China, Russia and Mongolia took place in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; the 3rd Ministerial Meeting of the Ancient Civilizations Forum commenced.
The “Happy Spring Festival” campaign, as the most influential brand in the world with the largest coverage of foreign cultural exchanges and the largest number of participants, has gone through ten years.
At the beginning of 2019, the “Happy Spring Festival”, in line with the concept of the integration of culture and tourism, had been fused into the current brand, “Beautiful China”. It takes a fresh look on integrated development as more than 1500 activities were conducted in 396 cities of 133 countries to bring an auspicious and happy Spring Festival and stunning Chinese scenery to other countries.
From the middle of May to the end of June in 2019, the “China Tourism and Cultural Week” event, jointly hosted by China International Cultural Exchange Center and overseas China Cultural Centers and tourism offices, has debuted in the world. During the event, more than 250 events for cultural and tourism exchanges have been staged at 34 overseas China Cultural Centers and 19 tourism offices abroad to showcase China’s cultural and tourism products, and services, as well as to explain Chinese spirits and styles.
At the same time, the local regions are proactively innovating their way of advertising in order to win fame in culture and tourism. In recent years, Gansu has attached much importance to developing inbound tourism market, innovating the mechanism and setting up the center of advertising in crucial inbound tourism markets on the basis of local notable tourism enterprises. It has seen positive effects. Anhui province aligns itself with the Belt and Road Initiative to engage in tourism exchanges and cooperation with the countries along with the Belt and Road. It has formed an interplay pattern between domestic and foreign exchanges.
“The development of inbound and outbound travel, in support of the major country diplomacy and civil cultural exchanges, has been registered as a main channel to broadcast Chinese voices and increase China’s cultural influence and cultural soft power.” said Yang Jingsong, believing that it is essential to spread civilization and boost cultural confidence by virtue of tourism when building and reinforcing national cultural soft power.
Ba Duoxun, head of the tourism college of the Northeast Normal University, suggested that we should further expand opening-up, do a better job in spreading Chinese culture overseas, tell Chinese stories well. It is hoped to improve the environment of inbound tourism market, optimize inbound tourism format and the structure of products so as to upgrade to international facilities and services. It is expected to promote visa facilitation and increase visa-free countries, especially to develop two-way cross-border tourism travel between China and the Belt and Road countries, the European countries and the Oceanian countries.