Datuk Chan Foong Hin, Sabah DAP leader, stated that the 15-day visa free travel reciprocal policy for Malaysians traveling to China will stimulate business and tourism in Sabah. He expressed his approval of the announcement made by the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday (Nov 24), emphasizing that it was a long-awaited and realized announcement. Chan also mentioned that this decision will bring more business opportunities to the people of Sabah and will enhance the tourism industry in the region. He believes that this reflects the strong relationship between Malaysia and China, coinciding with next year’s 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Chan mentioned that they have had discussions about the visa-free travel policy for Chinese tourists to Malaysia for many years, but progress has been sluggish, with no tangible results. He mentioned being part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s delegation at the 20th China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning in September, where the visa-free travel issue was discussed during the bilateral meeting with China’s Premier Li Qiang. He stated, “The swift progress and implementation of this policy is very much welcomed and expressed confidence that this policy will not only lead to a substantial surge in tourist numbers between Malaysia and China, but also usher in plenty of promising business opportunities for both countries.”
Chan, who is also the Kota Kinabalu MP, urged Sabah tourism players to capitalize on the opportunity to attract Chinese tourists, as it would greatly benefit the economy. Also on Friday (Nov 24), the Chinese Embassy announced that the 15-day visa-free policy would be in effect for a year from Dec 1, 2023 to Nov 30, 2024. The announcement mentioned, “To further promote people-to-people exchanges between China and Malaysia, the Chinese government will implement a 15-day visa-free policy for Malaysian citizens holding ordinary passports who enter China for business, tourism, family visits and transit purposes. Those who do not meet the purposes of the visit and the time limit for the 15-day visa-free policy are still required to apply for visas to China.”
