On May 29, the"International Mountain Tourism Day 2025" Theme Events kicked off on Gran Canaria, Spain. With the theme "Embracing Mountains and Seas, Coexisting with Cultures — Mountain Tourism and Cultural Inclusiveness for the Future," the event brought together representatives from international organizations, government officials, industry leaders, experts, scholars, and media worldwide to explore inclusive collaboration and shared development in global mountain tourism. The program included an opening ceremony, thematic forums, mountain cultural exchange sessions, a China-Spain cultural tourism exhibition, and the "Gran Canaria Night" welcome dinner. Participants engaged in diverse formats to share advanced concepts, discuss cutting-edge issues, and deepen practical cooperation. Mr. Liang Nan, Counsellor of Embassy of the Peoples' Republic of China in Spain, was specially appointed by Mr. Yao Jing, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Spain and the Principality of Andorra, to attend the opening ceremony and deliver a speech on his behalf.

The full text of the speech is as follows:

Good morning, everyone! In this beautiful season when mountains are covered with greenery and all things are thriving, we gather on the beautiful Gran Canaria Island to attend the opening ceremony of the 2025 "International Mountain Tourism Day" themed event. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Spain, I would like to extend cordial greetings and best wishes to all guests.

Mountains are treasures where nature and humanity interweave. China is a major mountainous country. The mountainous area, including plateaus and hills, accounts for about two-thirds of the country's land area, which has nurtured magnificent mountainous natural scenery, a diverse and integrated culture of the Chinese nation, and production and living methods adapted to local conditions. Spain is also a mountainous country. From the snow-capped Pyrenees to the sunny Sierra Nevada, from the verdant and rolling Cantabrian Mountains to the volcanic and unique Canary Islands, Spain's long history and splendid culture shine brightly among the mountains.

Although mountains and seas are far apart, those with common aspirations are neighbors. Although China and Spain are separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, they have always adhered to the original aspiration of establishing diplomatic relations featuring mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation, setting an example for countries with different historical cultures and social systems to live in friendship and develop hand in hand. In recent years, under the strategic leadership of the heads of state of the two countries, friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Spain in various fields have developed steadily with rich achievements. The Gran Canaria Island where we are now is a witness to the high-level development of bilateral relations. Last year, President Xi Jinping made a smooth stopover here.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain. More than a month ago, Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez visited China for the third time in three years. The leaders of the two countries reached important consensus on building a comprehensive strategic partnership with stronger strategic resolve and greater development vitality, and the two sides formulated relevant action plans, which are believed to inject strong impetus into cooperation in various fields including tourism. Taking this opportunity, the Chinese Embassy in Spain is willing to work with all relevant parties to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, promote the continuous development of China-Spain relations to new heights, and achieve more fruitful results.

As a vivid practice of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, mountain tourism not only enriches people's healthy and beneficial lifestyle but also becomes an important link for international cultural exchanges. In recent years, under the guidance of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" and with the joint efforts of the tourism industry, China's mountain tourism destinations are attracting more and more attention from tourism enthusiasts around the world. China has recently introduced a series of measures to facilitate foreign nationals' visits to China, such as extending the unilateral visa-free stay period for Spain and other countries to 30 days, opening its arms to the world and sincerely welcoming friends from all over the world to not only visit China's famous mountains and rivers but also experience a colorful, open, safe, hospitable, real and three-dimensional China on the spot.

Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher, said, "The virtuous enjoy the mountains, and the wise enjoy the water." The grandeur and depth of mountains have always inspired human spirit and wisdom. It is believed that this 2025 "International Mountain Tourism Day" themed event will build consensus, deepen cooperation, add new vitality to exchanges and cooperation between China and Spain in the fields of culture and tourism, and inject new impetus into the development of global mountain tourism. Finally, I sincerely wish this International Mountain Tourism Day themed event a complete success! I wish all guests smooth work and a happy life!

Source: IMTA

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong