"Tourism is an important bridge for people of China and the United States to communicate and know each other closely." On May 22, President Xi Jinping sent a letter to the opening of the 14th China US High level Dialogue on Tourism, expressing his ardent expectation for deepening China US tourism cooperation.

In November 2023, the heads of state of China and the United States met in San Francisco, reached a series of important consensus, and mapped out the "San Francisco Vision" for the future of China US relations. Among them, "promoting tourism cooperation" is one of the important contents of "San Francisco Vision". This high-level dialogue on tourism between China and the United States is a concrete action.

On May 22, 2024, Chinese and American students sang a chorus at the opening ceremony of the 14th China US High level Dialogue on Tourism.

Across the broad Pacific Ocean, tourism is a "bridge" that allows the two peoples to move, come and go more and communicate more. Since 2007, the China US high-level tourism dialogue mechanism jointly initiated and established by China and the US has built an important exchange platform for the two countries, and played an important role in enriching the connotation of China US cooperation, promoting exchanges and mutual understanding between the two peoples, and driving economic growth of the two countries.

Today, in an era of turmoil, China US relations are still at a critical crossroads. How to strengthen the main axis of peaceful development? President Xi emphasized "building more bridges between the two peoples". Both China and the United States are major tourism countries with important international influence. By building a bridge of friendship through tourism, we can not only benefit the two peoples, but also provide important support for the sustainable development of the global tourism industry and inject new momentum into the development of the world economy.

Tourism is a bridge to spread civilization, exchange culture and enhance friendship.

President Xi often said that state to state relations lie in people to people relations. Tourism, as an important carrier to display national image and enhance mutual learning of civilizations, is an effective way for the two peoples to deepen understanding and enhance friendship, and plays an important role in promoting the healthy development of China US relations.

In retrospect, China and the United States continued to deepen practical tourism cooperation, with highlights emerging: in terms of cooperation and exchange mechanisms, the two sides jointly built the Tourism Working Group of the China US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, the China US Provincial and State (31+50) Tourism Directors' Cooperation and Development Dialogue, and the China US Tourism High level Dialogue; In terms of people to people and cultural exchanges, the two sides held the "China US Tourism Year" with each other, signed the memorandum of tourism partner cities, and formed tourism partner cities

At present, further resuming and developing China US tourism cooperation is a crucial step to facilitate the "zero distance" mutual understanding between the two peoples and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China US bilateral relations.

In May 2024, "Zhangzhou Minnan Culture Week" will enter the American campus.

At the beginning of May, the Chinese Embassy in the United States participated in the "Round the World Embassy Open Day" activity in Washington, D.C., and held an open day with the theme of "Silk Road starts fresh Fujian" and Fujian Province promotion activity. The museum is full of people all day long. American people, old and young, or friends of three or five years, wander around to taste the "fresh Fujian" and feel the great beauty of China. Many Americans said that they would like to travel to China, see giant pandas and experience the charm of Chinese culture.

"Promote personnel exchanges through tourism cooperation, and continue China US friendship through people to people and cultural exchanges." President Xi's expectations in this letter have opened a window for the Chinese and American people to better understand each other today, and also built a bridge for people to people exchanges.

Tourism is an effective means to develop economy and increase employment.

Since the official launch of Chinese citizens' travel to the United States in 2008, China and the United States have become important tourist destinations and source countries for each other for many years. The large-scale tourism market is an important part of China US economic exchanges.

In the United States, many large Chinese online travel companies actively layout the tourism market, and Chinese enterprises actively carry out strategic investment and cooperation in American hotels and other fields; In China, several joint venture theme park projects, such as Disneyland and Universal Studios, have been put into operation. Many international famous hotel brands in the United States have settled in the Chinese market, and many American cruise ships have chosen Chinese cities as their visiting ports

Looking back, from exchange and cooperation in the tourism market to upgrading of the tourism industry, China and the United States jointly developed tourism products, built a dynamic and win-win tourism economic and trade relationship, and achieved fruitful cooperation results. At present, with the joint efforts of China and the United States, direct passenger flights between the two countries have increased to 100 flights per week since March, better meeting the needs of personnel exchanges.

The Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce said that if the number of Chinese tourists to the United States could be restored to the level of 2019, more than 50000 jobs would be supported. Some American experts believe that building a bridge of friendship between the two peoples through tourism is not only important for the stable and healthy development of China US relations, but also can help build a better world.

Take the "Bridge" for Tourism ” And consolidate the public opinion foundation for the healthy and stable development of China US relations.

The holding of this session of the China US High level Dialogue on Tourism is a measure to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state at the San Francisco meeting. President Xi Jinping's letter fully reflects the great importance he attaches to China US relations and will strongly promote the recovery and development of China US tourism cooperation to a new level.

"We warmly welcome American tourists to travel in China, to meet Chinese friends, to experience Chinese culture, to visit beautiful landscapes, and to experience the real China." President Xi has warmly invited the American people to travel in China for exchanges on many international occasions.

On April 20, 2024, the "Friendship Inheritance" research group of Muscatine High School in Iowa, USA, came to Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School. The Chinese and American students had the same Chinese class.

In November 2023, President Xi Jinping announced during his visit to the United States that China is willing to invite 50000 American teenagers to China for exchange and study in the next five years. In January of this year, the "Exchange and Learning Program for American Youth Ambassadors" was launched. At present, nearly 200 programs have been included in this year's program. Many American teenagers come to China for exchange and study. They wear Han suits, climb the Great Wall and visit the Forbidden City with Chinese teenagers. They make friends, learn from each other, and experience China in a real, three-dimensional and comprehensive way.

Tourism can eliminate prejudice, enhance understanding and build mutual trust, which is exactly what is needed to strengthen China US relations. China and the United States should take more actions to jointly promote people to people and cultural exchanges and inject more momentum into the continuous improvement and development of bilateral relations.

Prepared by Director Luo Hongbing and Wei Quhu

Supervised by Wang Jingdong

Chief Editor | Li Xuan

Edited by Liu Zhen

Vision | Chen Teng

Checked by Meng Lizheng, Lu Yang, Song Chunyan, Liang Yaqin, Mao Changzhi, Yan Tiantian

Produced by CCTV

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