The 46th annual French Travel Agency Association Conference kicked off in Beijing Wednesday. China's vice Premier Wu Yi attended.

Wu said the conference will promote tourism between China and France and "deepen bilateral partnership relations."

She said both China and France are great nations, whose peoples started exchanges long ago.

Since China implemented opening-up and reform, its economy has developed rapidly, Wu said. China's tourism has maintained good momentum, and became a new and vital part of the national economy, she said. Tourism has promoted China's economic prosperity and social development and has promoted friendship between China and the world, she said.

The total inbound travel arrivals to China reached 108 million in 2004, with international tourism revenue reaching 25.5 billion US dollars. Chinese people made some 28.5 million journeys overseas last year.

Wu said France is a beautiful nation which attracts many Chinese tourists. Since September 1, 2004 Chinese tourist groups have been allowed to travel to France. The number of French tourists to China surpassed 270,000 and Chinese visitors to France reached 500,000 in 2004.

Wu said she hoped China and France would learn from each other, enlarge cooperation and strengthen exchanges in developing tourism industry.

Source: Xinhua