STORY: Malaysia-China people-to-people relations strengthened by visa exemptions: official
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 28, 2024 and File
DATELINE: Nov. 30, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:36
LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the media briefing session
2. various of tourists in Malaysia (File)
3. SOUNDBITE (English): ROSLAN ABDUL RAHMAN, Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry Secretary-General

STORYLINE:

Visa exemptions implemented by China for Malaysian nationals and Malaysia's policy for Chinese nationals have strengthened tourism and people-to-people relations, a Malaysian official said on Thursday.
   
An exponential increase in Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian country was a testament to the success and wisdom of the policies, with 2.69 million Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia in the first nine months this year, a 144 percent increase compared to the same period last year, Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry Secretary-General Roslan Abdul Rahman told Xinhua.
   
As for Malaysia's upcoming chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Roslan expressed optimism that this would result in additional arrivals from across the region, and more importantly, this will allow Malaysia through the ASEAN platform to engage with regional partners such as China.

SOUNDBITE (English): ROSLAN ABDUL RAHMAN, Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry Secretary-General
"In the first 9 months of this year, Malaysia has welcomed about 2.691 million Chinese tourists, marking about 144 percent increase in the same period last year. We welcome them of course and we have a lot of products to offer to tourists from China. Of course, the visa-free visit to Malaysia helps a lot. Also, the existence of flights from the Chinese mainland, especially from second-tier cities is on the increase and we encourage this as well."

Malaysia will officially assume the chair of ASEAN on Jan. 1, 2025.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kuala Lumpur.
(XHTV)