China, Brunei to see more people-to-people exchanges this year: Chinese ambassador

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A series of people-to-people exchange programs to enhance mutual understanding between China and Brunei will be arranged this year, Xiao Jianguo, Chinese ambassador to Brunei said here on Wednesday.

During a briefing with local media and think tanks, the ambassador said that people-to-people exchanges are the solid foundation of China-Brunei relations.

"People-to-people exchanges play an important role in promoting the development of bilateral relations. The friendly exchanges between China and Brunei have thousands of years of history."

Xiao said the two countries have conducted extensive cooperation in the fields of culture, education, sports, tourism, local governments and youths, and supported each other in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which further enhanced the traditional friendship and the social basis of public opinion.

More tourists from the two countries will visit each other for sightseeing and exchanges, which will inject new impetus to tourism, people-to-people exchanges and regional economic recovery, the ambassador added.

This year, a series of bilateral people-to-people exchange programs will include visits to China by Brunei media, officials and teachers, as well as cooperation between educational institutions of the two countries, Xiao explained.

About 50 people including local journalists, think tank researchers and government officials attended the briefing.