AKP Phnom Penh, August 28, 2025 —

About 300 guests from 28 countries and regions, including Jordan and Qatar, joined the China-Arab States Tour Operators Matchmaking and Exchange Meeting in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Wednesday to discuss expanding cultural and tourism cooperation.

The meeting, a key event of the 7th China-Arab States Expo, brought together diplomats, tourism officials, representatives of travel agencies and industry associations, and scholars from China and abroad.

"Today's event is an important step forward to promote dialogue and friendship among our cities through tourism, and I hope it will also help explore more venues for our mutual cooperation, and exchanges between our peoples," said Hussam Al Husseini, Jordan's ambassador to China.

Xian Guoyi, head of Ningxia's Publicity Department, said Ningxia is building world-class travel routes and positioning itself as a gateway for China's cooperation with Arab countries and Belt and Road Initiative participating countries and regions.

"By leveraging our complementary strengths, we aim to develop new routes and products for two-way tourism, and promote resource sharing, visitor exchanges and market collaboration," Xian noted.

At the meeting, the China-Arab Tourism Index and 2025 China-Arab Tourism Trend Analysis Report was released, offering data and insights to guide future cooperation.

Fourteen agreements worth nearly 2.57 billion yuan (about 361 million U.S. dollars) were signed, covering areas such as passenger flow, study tours, themed tourism and cultural-tourism complexes.

The event also featured the opening of the Silk Road Culture and Tourism Bazaar at a cultural-tourism complex in Yinchuan, showcasing food and handicrafts from Belt and Road partner countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Nepal. In addition, it highlights intangible cultural heritage and tourism products from various Chinese provincial-level regions, including Shanxi, Sichuan, and Ningxia. The bazaar runs through Saturday.

Delegates will also take part in inspection tours of Ningxia's major attractions, including Yellow River cultural sites, desert tourism destinations and local wineries, with the aim of tapping new business partnerships. 

AKP-Xinhua