The thriving inbound tourism in China has directly manifested the country's great efforts to advance high-level opening up, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
The 3rd Yunnan International Communication Forum was held earlier this month in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. During the forum, a report on annual buzz words was released, with the hot word "ChinaTravel" listed in the top 10.
China expects a growing number of foreign tourists to visit China and learn about the Asian country, said Mao.
"The flourishing of travel in China is a direct reflection of the country's promotion of high-level opening up. In the first three quarters of this year, the number of inbound tourists traveling in China was about 95 million trips, an increase of nearly 80 percent year on year. As China will open itself wider to the outside world and the visa-free policy will be launched by China for an increasingly larger number of countries, I believe that the popularity of 'ChinaTravel' will be even higher. 'It is always a pleasure to greet a friend from afar'. Warmth and friendliness are the Chinese way of hospitality, and openness and inclusiveness are the ways China interacts with the outside world. We welcome more foreign friends to come to China, visit China, experience China, and learn about China," said the spokeswoman.
Booming inbound tourism shows China's increasing high-standard opening up: spokeswoman
Pakistan on Monday continued to tighten security in its capital Islamabad ahead of the expected second round of U.S.-Iran talks despite no indication that Iran has changed its mind about staying out of the negotiations with the United States.
Pakistan has placed the capital city and the neighboring garrison city of Rawalpindi on high security alert. On Sunday evening, the Pakistani government announced that ministries, government offices, and related agencies inside the Red Zone would shift to remote work on Monday.
According to police sources, some 20,000 police personnel, supported by hundreds of elite commandos, including snipers, have been deployed on security duty across the twin cities. Similar arrangements were made before the first round of peace talks.
Authorities have also suspended all public and goods transport in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as part of the security plan, while most entry points to the Red Zone have been sealed.
Major hotels, including Serena Hotel and Marriott Hotel, have asked guests to vacate after the government requisitioned the properties for the talks. Hostels and guest houses in the capital were also directed to close until further notice.
Analysts say Pakistan is still working in an effort to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiation table.
Pakistan on Sunday abruptly cleared potential venues for the next round of talks, including the Serena Hotel -- a five-star property in the Red Zone -- where the first round was held. Later that evening, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a 45-minute phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Outside the Jinnah Convention Centre, which served as the media center for the first round of U.S.-Iran talks, the official backdrop for the negotiations has been put up again. Security personnel at the entrance confirmed that the media center is being rebuilt.
All signs suggest that Pakistan is making maximum preparations for the new round of diplomatic talks.
However, compared to the high-profile approach before the first round of talks, Pakistan's latest security measures, while more extensive, have been accompanied by a notably lower public profile. As of now, there has been no further word on the approval of press credentials.
According to Iranian media, this contrast sends a clear message: Pakistan's role has shifted from "enthusiastic host" to "cautious gatekeeper." Its goal now is to create a tightly controlled, secure, and media-free space where the main protagonists -- the United States and Iran -- can focus on building mutual trust.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East.
A ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect on April 8. Iranian and U.S. delegations then held talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but no progress was reported.
Pakistan tightens security in capital ahead of expected 2nd round of US-Iran talks
