WINCHESTER maintained its strong Chinese connection with two delegations visiting the city.

The city council is creating a new tourism web portal in Chinese.

The first delegation, shortly before Christmas, came from Hubei Province in the south-east of the country.

Visitors explored the city's links between culture and economy, with a tour of Winchester Cathedral and presentation by The Rev Canon Dr Roly Riem about the its history and cultural status.

The second visit came from Zhejiang Province, where business leaders learnt how local government is harnessing IT to deliver services for residents.

Winchester already has strong links with China through the School of Art, a campus of the University of Southampton in the city which has a collaborative enterprise in Dalian, one of China's most affluent regions, home to a large number of hi-tech enterprises and China's long-established international fair for the fashion and textile industry.

Both universities in Winchester reach out to overseas students, with growing numbers of Chinese enrolments reflecting the appeal of the city as a safe and attractive place with relevant, modern courses.

Winchester City Council's head of tourism, Ellen Simpson, said: “We are invisible to the Chinese world at present. That's over 21 million people. The number of tourists visiting the UK from China has more than doubled in the last few years, up from 89,000 in 2009 to 185,000 in 2014, making the country one of the UK's fastest-growing tourism markets.

"Research shows that they love the romance of the UK, the museums and the landscape. They also stay longer and spend more than many other visitors. Winchester should definitely be part of this.”

Cllr James Byrnes, portfolio holder for tourism and local economy, said: "At a time when David Cameron and George Osborne are seeking to build links with China for long-term economic advantage, I am interested to see how we might explore this at a more local level, particularly working with the Local Enterprise Partnerships and Chamber of Commerce.

"We are currently taking stock of the contacts we have made. Whatever our direction of travel, we have had some fascinating cultural experiences - characterised by humour and goodwill on both parts, however little language we share in common.”