An unofficial "Fifty Most Worth Visiting Places for Foreigners in China" was announced at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the afternoon of the 8th. Fifty scenic spots in China, such as the Forbidden City in Beijing, Mount Everest in Tibet, Hongkong and Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan, were finally identified as the most worthwhile places for foreigners to come to China.
The other 46 places selected this time are: Huangshan, Jiuhuashan and Xidi hong cun; Badaling Great Wall in Beijing; Fujian Gulangyu-Shiwan Mountain and Taining World Geopark; Mogao Grottoes and Kongtong Mountain in Dunhuang, Gansu; Kaiping Diaolou, Guangdong; Guangxi Yangshuo West Street and Huangyao Ancient Town; Shuanghedong Scenic Area in Guizhou; Wuzhizhou, Hainan; Heilongjiang Mohe Arctic Village Scenic Area; Shennongjia, Hubei; Tianmen Mountain and Hengshan Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan; Badain Jaran Desert and Aershan in Inner Mongolia; Huaguoshan Scenic Area and Zhouzhuang in Lianyungang, Jiangsu; Lushan, Jingdezhen and Longhu Mountain in Jiangxi; Liaoning one palace and three tombs; Rock paintings of Helan Mountain and Shapotou in Zhongwei, Ningxia; Qinghai Lake, Qinghai; Shaanxi Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Huashan Mountain, Beilin Museum, Huaqingchi Scenic Area; Shandong Taishan; Zhujiajiao, Shanghai; Pingyao Ancient City, Huamen, Yao Temple; Jiuzhaigou and Sanxingdui in Sichuan; Namco, Tibet; Kanas, Kashgar, Wuerhe and ghost towns in Xinjiang; Yunnan Banna Wild Elephant Valley, Meili Snow Mountain and Shilin World Geopark; Zhejiang Putuo Scenic Area.
The selection activity was jointly sponsored by China Global Travel Newspaper and 3/kloc-0 metropolitan newspapers in 3 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the Mainland. The selection lasted 100 days, and it was decided through two stages: "sea election" and online, SMS and newspaper voting. In the end, the organizing committee, including diplomats from various countries in China, released 50 scenic spots from nearly 200 finalists after comprehensive voting and the opinions of the jury.
After the results were announced, some people at the scene expressed regret that a number of scenic spots such as Potala Palace in Lhasa and West Lake in Hangzhou were shortlisted but not selected. Some people were even surprised that Lijiang in Yunnan, Shangri-La and Lugu Lake in Sichuan were not shortlisted. None of the organizers responded positively to this, saying that this selection is "a model of Greater China tourism going international marketing", and this result will be "reference value" and "weather vane" for foreigners to travel to China.
Zimbabwe's ambassador to China and other officials from many countries in China presented trophies and selection certificates to representatives from 50 places. Ambassador Jin Guo, on behalf of the diplomatic envoys in China, said that the results of this selection will facilitate foreign tourists to visit China and let other countries know more about China.