Turkiye diplomat impressed by Guizhou's unique culture

Serif Alp Atakcan visits Tianlong Tunbao in Anshun and learns about local culture. [Photo by Xuhan/provided to eguizhou.gov.cn]

More than 20 ambassadors and senior diplomats from 19 countries visited the Tianlong Tunbao in Anshun, Southwest China's Guizhou province, on June 4.

"Tianlong Tunbao showcased the historical ties between different regions in China. For 600 years, Guizhou has successfully preserved the fortress and showcased it through tourism," said Serif Alp Atakcan, counselor of the Turkiye embassy in China.

Atakcan is passionate about traveling. He learned that the Tunbao culture is a remnant of the lifestyle of soldiers, merchants, and their families who moved from regions south of the Yangtze River to Yunnan and Guizhou during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Tianlong Tunbao still preserves cultural customs from the Ming Dynasty and developed into a unique "Tunbao culture" after integration with local people.

This was Atakcan's first visit to Guizhou, and he said, "Some people think that Guizhou is remote, but I don't think so. With the rapid development of transport networks, it's convenient to go anywhere."

Atakcan believes that Guizhou and Turkiye have broad prospects for cooperation in tourism. Both sides possess abundant natural resources and cultural heritage, and they can work together to promote the prosperity of the tourism industry.

In particular, with the recent restoration of direct flights from Chengdu in Sichuan to Istanbul, it will provide more convenient transportation conditions for tourism exchanges between Guizhou and Turkiye.