China announced in Montevideo Monday that Uruguay will become a new tourism destination of Chinese citizens.

 

The news was made public after a meeting between Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, and President of Uruguay Tabare Vazquez in the Uruguayan capital.

 

An official with the Foreign Ministry said that the Chinese government had approved the move months ago after negotiations with the Uruguayan government and the two governments agreed to announce the decision during Wu's visit to Uruguay.

 

She said the tourism authorities of the two countries will start discussions on detailed arrangements after the decision was announced.

 

The announcement made Uruguay another tourism destination of Chines citizens in South America, following Brazil, Chile, Peru, Argentina and Venezuela.

 

Statistics showed that in 2005, the number of outbound Chinese tourists reached 30 million.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2006)