On 24 February 2017, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), visited Zhongliao village in Jiyang District of Sanya, observing the local tourism resources and new rural construction. Mr. Chen Yunjiong, Executive Deputy District Mayor of Jiyang District, and relevant officials of Sanya Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and Zhongliao village, as well as Mr. Zhang Xuehai, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relation Division, and Ms. Zhang Jing, Education Officer of ACC, accompanied the visit.

Zhongliao village has been actively developing as beautiful countryside which focuses its industrial design on farming, Li ethnic group culture and rural scenery, and creates a fine rural paradigm with Sanya features where is ecological and livable, civilized and harmonious that integrate agriculture, leisure and tourism experiences. As a pilot project of beautiful countryside of Sanya, Zhongliao village has won awards in various competitions organized by the Ministry of Agriculture of China, Hainan province and Sanya. Its rural development endeavour has also improved local villagers’ lives. It has attracted a great number of domestic and foreign visitors from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and other ASEAN countries. In 2016, the village received politicians and guests who attended the annual conference of Boao Forum for Asia, and received well recognition from all sides.

Secretary-General Yang carefully examined the local economic and social development and living condition of villagers, and briefed on ACC’s history, stating that since its inception five years ago, ACC has done a lot of tangible work and achieved good outcomes. The year of 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation. It is expected that relevant departments of Jiyang district could seize the opportunity to promote the featured tourism resources to the visitors from all over the world, and to showcase the potential of Sanya’s urban and rural development. As a one-stop information and activities centre, ACC will help to promote the development and changes of Jiyang district and Zhongliao village to ASEAN countries.

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