Spanish guests experience stone carving in Lishui's Qingtian county, Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: qingtianfabu]

Qingtian county in Lishui, Zhejiang province, held a special event for the 2026 China-Spain Friendly Exchange Year from June 25 to 26, building on its 2025 global inbound tourism promotion.

The event aimed to deepen people-to-people diplomacy, cultural tourism exchange, and industrial collaboration, inviting Spanish municipal officials and tourism representatives for inspection visits and to establish a regular cooperation platform.

During the visit, David Jose, president of the Commonwealth of Municipalities of O Salnes (Galicia) and mayor of Ribadumia, met with Qingtian officials. Both sides exchanged development experiences and gifts, further reinforcing sister-city ties.

The delegation toured multiple museums and scenic areas in Qingtian, gaining a comprehensive view of the county's overseas Chinese heritage, ecological scenery, import trade, and rural vitalization achievements.

The Qingtian Stone Carving Museum left a strong impression. Visitors admired the exquisite stone carvings, learned about the millennium-old craft's heritage and industry status, and tried traditional seal engraving themselves, experiencing the art's unique charm.

A key cooperation conference was held, featuring two-way tourism promotion. Qingtian showcased its distinctive tourism resources and inbound incentive policies, while Spanish counterparts introduced their signature routes, promoting mutual brand exposure and visitor exchange.

Going forward, Qingtian will draw on its overseas Chinese resources to become Zhejiang's model for inbound tourism, exploring innovative paths for county-level public diplomacy and supporting high-quality development.