(21 April 2017) Apulia and China grow closer. A Chinese delegation of the Friendship Association of the Chinese people with foreign countries - a national organisation of people involved in the diplomacy of the People's Republic of China - is on a visit to Apulia with the aim of furthering their knowledge of tourism and cultural territory in order to promote it in major Chinese regions. Yesterday, the Vice President of the Apulia region Antonio Nunziante and a representative of the Mayor of Bari Councillor Silvio Maselli's office, welcomed the Chinese delegation.A memorandum of understanding between the Director of the Regional Department of Tourism, Culture, and Economics, and Development Aldo Patruno, and the General Director of the European Department of Chinese Affairs, Lyu Hongwei. Nunziante has outlined the excellence of the Apulian territory and the opportunities offered by tourism.Nunziante announced, "ee are a welcoming people and always have been, and today you are welcome. You represent a great country and a great people and we are confident that our journey of friendship and cooperation will be very fruitful ". "Puglia is a special destination for classic tourism but we are now also leaning towards religious tourism, while fully respecting other religions. It is a world that we wish to share with you and is a kind of tourism that takes place all year round. Our idea is to be open to tourism 365 days a year and that soon, I hope, you will be a part of". Followed by Aldo Patruno's statement that "Friendship with China represents a strategic perspective for cultural and tourism policies of the Apulia. The strategic plan for Puglia365 tourism programme has sanctioned the idea of internationalisation as one of the fundamental aims of tourism and cultural policies of Apulia of the next decade and China is one of the target destination ". "In these days we will show the Chinese delegation the wonders of our regions such as Alberobello, Marta Taranto and the Museum of Pino Pascali in Polignano. We will then meet our subsidiaries, Apulia Film Commission, Puglia Promozione, Teatro Pubblico Pugliese to establish partnerships and collaborations. "For the vice president of the Friendship Association of the Chinese people with foreign countries, Song Jingwu "China has maintained a good relationship with Italy for many years and will continue to do so with Apulia and Bari." (red)

THE PROTOCOL

The memorandum of understanding, for the next five years, will have the main objective to deepen the cultural understanding and friendship between the two communities by promoting economic and social interchange and partnerships between China and Apulia.