Bilateral bonds surge as tourists from China get French connection

BRI delivering on aim for more exchanges and cooperation between countries

The closer cultural ties and tangible results of the development of the Belt and Road Initiative will generate a new forward momentum in the fields of people-to-people exchanges and two-way investment between China and France, according to experts and government officials.

The improved business and political ties boosted by activities such as the China-France Culture and Tourism Year and new business models will further boost people-to-people exchanges and the flow of tourists between the two countries, said Dai Bin, head of the China Tourism Academy.

Chinese tourists spent more than 4 billion euros ($4.43 billion) in France in 2018, while the number of overnight stays by Chinese tourists reached 2.2 million, growing by 5 percent-on-year, data from the Beijing-based academy revealed.

In addition to Paris, other areas such as Bordeaux, Nice, Provence, Cannes, Avignon, Lyon and Marseille became popular destinations for Chinese tourists in the country last year, more than half of whom chose to stay in five-and four-star hotels during their visits, according to the academy's findings.

The research also found the majority of Chinese tourists heading overseas have middle-to-high incomes, with three quarters spending from 5,000 to 20,000 yuan ($720-$2,860) on their travels in Europe last year. Many tended to choose self-planned and customized vacations, as well as sports, cruise, forest, food and wine-themed holidays.

"We also found that many Chinese tourists prefer to visit France, Germany and Italy together when making their travel plans because they are closer to each other and share air and rail routes," Dai said.

"France remains one of the favorite European destinations for Chinese visitors, with more direct flights between France and China compared to other European countries," he said, noting it makes it easier for Chinese tourists to travel to France directly.

Sun Fuquan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, stressed that the rapid advance in technology in recent years means even cheap smartphones are effectively palmtop computers, giving Chinese users instant access to real-time information on almost any topic.

Online payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay, and 24-hour hotlines are accessible in Paris to ensure safety and facilitate communication, said Christophe Decloux, managing director of Paris Region Tourism Board.

Apart from promoting shopping and safety, Zou Tongqian, a professor of tourism at Beijing International Studies University, outlined that France has an excellent reputation in China as a cultural and fashion superpower.

"Therefore these signs weren't only encouraging for strong development in tourism, but also attracted a large number of Chinese companies to France to expand their global influence," he said.

Ningbo Peacebird Fashion, a major multi-brand fashion company from Zhejiang province, debuted its latest designs in Paris in late September, in a fashion show that broke through cultural boundaries and integrated the latest trends in youth fashion in the name of "Chinese design".

Ninetygo, the neo-travel lifestyle brand owned by Anhui Korrun, China's largest suitcase manufacturer by production volume, teamed up with former Hermes designer Ludovic Alban to launch a new luggage range, at the Pompidou National Centre for Art and Culture in France in early October.

Eager to enhance cultural ties, China and France held the fourth meeting of the Sino-French Cultural Forum in Nice, in southern France in early October. The event attracted around 300 participants for discussions and cooperation in areas including tourism, culture, film and education.

Former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said despite the differences between French and Chinese cultures, the two countries have always adhered to coexistence between different cultures and respected each other.

In the face of the challenges and conflicts in today's world, he urged countries to coordinate efforts in a bid to promote peace and convergence through cultural exchanges.

Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye said China and France should play an important role in reinforcing dialogue between civilizations and promoting cultural diversity.

French Minister of Culture Franck Riester recalled that cultural exchanges between the two countries have increased in recent years and collaboration in the arts, cinema and publications has expanded. Both sides have also advanced cooperation in museum exchanges, heritage protection and library digitization.

The Sino-French Cultural Forum was initiated in 2016. The previous three meetings of the forum were held in Beijing, Lyon and Xi'an.

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/06/2019 page15)