China Tourism Minister wants more Indians to visit China

Mumbai, Aug 23 (UNI) Chinese Minister for Tourism Shao Qi Wei has said the number of tourists from India and China visiting each other is far less compared to the population of the two countries.

As against 4,50,000 Indians visiting China, only 50,000 Chinese citizens visited India last year, which is a very small number compared to the population of the two countries and also to the number of Japanese and Koreans visiting China.

China has declared the year, 2007 as 'China-India Year of Friendship through Tourism' and will be hosting Olympics next year.

In this background, China wants more Indians to visit their country, Mr Wei told Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna yesterday.

Welcoming the delegation led by Mr Wei to Maharashtra, Mr Krishna said he has always been supportive of 'people to people contact' between the two countries, for such interactions go a long way in strengthening the relations between the two great civilizations.

The Governor said he would like the legislators and students from India to visit China to see the development made by the country, a release issued by Raj Bhavan said here today.

UNI