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by Juan Limachi
LIMA, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral relations between Peru and China have continued to improve in recent years, Fredy Gamarra, president of Peru's National Chamber of Tourism, said on Wednesday.
He cited the visit made by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski to China in September as evidence of the blossoming ties.
"A few days after entering government, President Kuczynski paid an official visit to China, during which he was accompanied by various ministries and private businessmen," Gamarra told Xinhua in an interview, ahead of the 2016 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima this week.
Gamarra's comments came in the wake of similar comments by Peruvian Foreign Minister, Ricardo Luna, who said Monday that "political dialogue with this global power (China) is key and crucial for a new international order."
Gamarra said that the strategic nature of the ties was shown in bilateral trade, which topped 16 billion U.S. dollars in 2015.
"This demonstrates the importance of political and economic ties to China. China is our main strategic partner, our main export destination and one of the main investors in our country," he said.
Chinese investments in Peru have been wide-ranging, covering mining, hydrocarbons, infrastructure, financial services and more.
"The idea of Kuczynski's trip was to present the spectrum of investment options in Peru and attract Chinese investment. Furthermore, on the tourism front, Chinese travelers with a valid visa for Canada, the U.S., Mexico or the Schengen zone do not need a separate visa for Peru," said Gamarra.
In terms of Chinese tourists to Peru, Gamarra said that the number reached around 25,000 in 2015, noting that tour operators were working hard to raise this total.
"Last year, we received close to 25,000 Chinese citizens as tourists. We believe this will grow, once air connectivity improves. We hope to receive at least 50,000 in 2017," he said.
The potential of the Chinese tourism market could lead to visitors multiplying by 10 times in the long term, he added.
On trade, sophistication has also increased with some Peruvian companies entering the e-commerce sphere with Chinese partners, first offering smaller-scale items, such as ornaments, alcohol, auto parts and machinery, Gamarra pointed out.
Gamarra said that the good bilateral relations served as a platform to continue promoting trade, investments, cooperation and tourism, adding that Peru has a wealth of historical and natural tourism offerings for Chinese visitors.
Lima is hosting the 24th APEC Economic Leaders' Week on Nov. 14-20.
