Republic of Moldova could be included in list of tourist destinations for Chinese citizens

The possibility of including the Republic of Moldova in the list of approved tourist destinations for Chinese citizens travelling abroad was discussed in Beijing by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi during a meeting with Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China Sun Yeli.

According to the MFA, the talks focused on Moldovan-Chinese cooperation in the fields of culture, heritage and tourism, addressing topics related to expanding cultural exchanges, organizing joint exhibitions and events, as well as strengthening relations between relevant institutions in the two states.

During the meeting, opportunities for collaboration in the digitalization of cultural heritage were also examined, including the exchange of experience between specialists and the adoption of Chinese practices regarding the protection and restoration of historical monuments and museum collections.

Mihai Popșoi highlighted the potential of the Republic of Moldova as a tourist destination for the Chinese public, noting local traditions, gastronomy, wine culture, heritage and rural tourism as elements that can attract visitors from China. The officials also discussed cooperation with Chinese tour operators and tourism platforms, as well as the organization of promotional activities for the Republic of Moldova on the Chinese market.

In this context, the head of Moldovan diplomacy expressed the interest of the authorities in Chișinău in including the Republic of Moldova in the list of approved tourist destinations for Chinese citizens. This initiative could contribute to the development of the tourism sector and to intensifying contacts between the citizens of the two states.

The officials agreed that the institutions responsible for tourism in the Republic of Moldova and China will jointly develop tourist routes.

For his part, Chinese Minister Sun Yeli expressed the Chinese side’s readiness to continue the dialogue and to develop new bilateral cooperation projects.

Popșoi is paying an official visit to the People’s Republic of China on 21–25 May, at the invitation of his counterpart, Wang Yi. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen bilateral dialogue and promote economic, trade, investment, cultural, educational and tourism cooperation between the two states.