The Xiamen Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (FOCAO) and Xiamen Tourism Development Commission successfully launched the 2nd “Belt and Road” Southeast Asia cruise tour themed “Passion of Minnan Culture on Maritime Silk Road” held at Xiamen International Cruise Center on 22 March 2018.
The event was attended by Philippine Consul General to Xiamen Julius Caesar A. Flores, Mr. Yao Jianhong, Deputy Director General, Xiamen Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office; Ms. Qi Yang, Director General, Xiamen Tourism Development Commission; Mr. Cai Si Wei, Vice General Manager, Xiamen Port Holdings Group; Mr. Gong Lei, Vice General Manager, China Merchants Group, Shekou Branch; Mr. Mario Zanetti, President, Costa Group Asia and media representatives.
Consul General Flores, in his remarks, underscored that the 2nd launching of the “Belt and Road” Southeast Asian cruise will further strengthen friendship and understanding, boost tourism as well as enhance multilateral exchanges and maritime cooperation among the Southeast Asian countries and China under the BRI framework.
Consul General Flores also expressed that the Philippines will continue to work with industry partners in China as well as welcome Chinese tourists visiting the Philippines with its renowned hospitality and exciting destinations citing that Chinese tourists made Southeast Asia a top destination in the last few years.
The cruise will highlight Minnan culture and art performances at the three landing ports in Manila, Brunei and Kota Kinabalu which is expected to create more cooperation opportunities to countries along the Belt and Road as well as enhanced people-to-people exchanges between Southeast Asia and China.
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