Chinese actress Fan Bingbing appointed tourism ambassador of Malaysian state

By Hoang Vu June 1, 2024 | 12:45 am PT

Chinese actress Fan Bingbing wears Vietnamese designer Chung Thanh Phong’s design at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Photo from Fan’s Twitter

Fan Bingbing, one of China's most famed actresses, will be appointed as the tourism ambassador of Melaka state in Malaysia on June 15 as the Southeast Asian country seeks to attract Chinese tourists.

She will be in Melaka from June 14 to 16 to promote a campaign which aims to position the state as an ideal tourism destination, The Star reported.

In a Facebook post on May 27, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said he had met Fan's international manager, to discuss the star's visit.

Fan, 42, was born in the province of Shandong, China. She started her career in the entertainment industry when she was 17, and is known for her achievements as an actress, model, TV producer, and singer.

She appeared in Time Magazine's list of 100 most influential people in 2017. The actress has kept a lower profile since 2018 after being fined $128 million for tax evasion.

Like Thailand, Malaysia has recently rushed to attract Chinese tourists.

Since last December, it has offered 30-day visa exemption for tourists from China.