Asia's 'most loved country' receives nearly 1.8 million Chinese in 5 months

By Hoang Phong August 13, 2025 | 03:04 pm PT

People wait before crossing a road in front of a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 2, 2022. Photo by AFP

Malaysia, voted Asia's "most loved country" last year, recorded 1.8 million Chinese tourists in the first five months of this year, over half of last year's figure thanks to its flexible visa policy.

Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said that Chinese tourist arrivals rose significantly, from 1.6 million in 2023 to 3.4 million last year, Malay Mail reported.

He credited the surge to the visa-free policy for Chinese travelers that began from late 2023.

Malaysia introduced a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Chinese citizens in December 2023 and has extended the scheme until 2026.

The country recently announced the extension of its visa exemption for Chinese travelers for another five years, with an option to extend it for an additional five years afterward until 2036, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said as reported by Bernama.

The Malaysian government plans to attract more Chinese tourists by leveraging popular Chinese social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, WeChat, Weibo, and Douyin, The Star reported.

Tourism Malaysia said the initiative will include partnerships with online influencers to appeal to younger, tech-savvy Chinese travelers.

Malaysia, named Asia's most loved country in 2024 by U.S. finance website Insider Monkey, is targeting 7 million Chinese visitors next year.