The visa-free agreement between China and Malaysia has come into effect, continuing the "let's go on a whim" friendship
Malaysian passenger Aziz, who was checking in at the airport, told China News Service that he would fly to Beijing to meet his business partners in China. Aziz, who visits China more than ten times a year, said that since December 2023, when Malaysia and China have granted visa-free entry to citizens of each other's countries, it has become much more convenient for him to do business in China. It's truly a case of "going whenever he wants". Aziz said that he had previously noticed that the visa-free agreement would come into effect on the 17th, and he was very glad that the convenience of "going on a whim" could be continued.
Lee Tai Kang, deputy director of the Malaysia Tourism Board, said that since the implementation of the visa-free entry policy, there have been many such examples of people traveling between the two countries. In 2024, Malaysia welcomed 3.7 million Chinese tourists throughout the year. In the first five months of this year, another 1.8 million Chinese tourists arrived.
Wang Dawei told the reporter that recently, relevant associations and businesses in Malaysia have proactively contacted the center, hoping to visit China for an inspection in the near future and seek to draw on Chinese agricultural technologies to alleviate the agricultural damage caused by durians during the rainy season.
Li Taikang said that this agreement has reassured Malaysian tourism operators. The continuation of the visa-free policy has greatly boosted their confidence. "The mutual cooperation between the tourism industries of the two countries will be more stable and solid."
Li Taikang introduced that next year is Malaysia's Tourism Year. After the visa-free agreement between Malaysia and China comes into effect, the tourism department and tourism operators in Malaysia are actively planning to enrich the tourism experience, add tourism service facilities and signs, and enhance tourism safety, in order to prepare for welcoming more Chinese tourists.
Wang Dawei, director of the Malaysia Center of the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Technology Transfer Center, said that since the establishment of the Malaysia Center, he has felt the willingness of all sectors in Malaysia to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges between Malaysia and the SCO countries, especially China. In his view, after the visa-free agreement comes into effect, it will provide further convenience for the exchanges and interactions between the two countries. "It undoubtedly helps the industries of the two countries to visit each other frequently and further strengthen cooperation."
Azman Wujiang, the chief expert of the Malaysia-China Wisdom Tank, told reporters in an interview that the signing and entry into force of the visa-free agreement indicate that the effectiveness of the previous visa-free entry policy has been recognized by the governments and people of both countries. Azman introduced that a poll conducted by relevant Malaysian institutions last year showed that 77% of Malaysian respondents held a positive view of China. More than half of the respondents expressed their support for the visa-free policy between the two countries. In Azman's view, the visa-free policy has promoted mutual communication between the people of the two countries and enhanced their friendship. The close exchanges between the people of the two countries have also laid a solid foundation for the further continuation of the visa-free policy. (End)
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