About 12 delegates from the ASEAN China Center (ACC) and Chinese media were warmly welcomed at the Laoag International Airport on Friday afternoon for a two-day Ilocos familiarization tour.
Led by ACC Secretary General Yang Xuiping, the Chinese delegates will be visiting famous landmarks and heritage site destinations in Ilocos Norte and the new wonder city of Vigan in neighboring Ilocos Sur province.
Upon arrival at the Laoag airport, representatives from the Department of Tourism Laoag sub-office approached the visitors with leis and handed them tokens as an expression of friendly cooperation.
Consul Wang Jianqun of the Laoag Chinese Consulate Office also met the group at the airport.
As the Philippines is hosting this year’s 50th anniversary of the ASEAN, the ACC is looking forward to strengthening communications and exchanges between the two countries through the conduct of familiarization tours here.
Laoag, being the tourism and investment gateway of Luzon, is expected to host more Chinese tourists this year with ongoing discussions on the re-opening of direct chartered flights to Laoag. (Leilanie G. Adriano/PNA)
