China and Malaysia extend visa exemption agreement to end-2025 & end-2026 respectively

Both countries' leaders also talked about strengthening cooperation on vocational education, enhancing interactions between think tanks and higher educational institutions, and more.

China has extended the visa exemption period for Malaysia citizens entering the country to end-2025. Reciprocally, Malaysia has extended the visa exemption period for China citizens to end-2026. 

This was announced in a joint statement on 18 June 2024, during the official visit of Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China to Malaysia from 18 to 20 June 2024.

On the visit, Premier Li and Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim discussed people-to-people exchanges, wherein both leaders expressed support for the ongoing efforts on visa exemption to promote friendly relations. The two countries commended the results of a series of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the nations. Building on these relations, both leaders agreed to carry out programmes in the fields of culture, tourism, religion, youth and locality, promote interactions at all levels in all areas, and further deepen exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Islamic civilizations.

China therefore agreed to extend the facility until the end of year 2025, following which Malaysia extended the visa exemption in response.

In another notable move, the two countries have confirmed that they will conduct a new round of joint research on panda protection to commemorate the anniversary of diplomatic relations and strengthen scientific research cooperation. Both leaders expect to achieve progress in this field.

The above aside, the two leaders came to mutual agreements on a series of action items, such as strengthening cooperation on vocational education, carrying out joint scientific research and digital education, enhancing interactions between think tanks and higher educational institutions, and more.

Both sides also welcomed more cooperation in the fields of media, news and publications, films and broadcast to improve mutual understanding and friendship between their people, especially the young generations.

Areas of collaboration

On the official visit, Premier Li also had an audience with King of Malaysia His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, held talks with PM Anwar Ibrahim, and attended the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia. Both nations had in-depth exchanges of views on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, jointly building the 'China-Malaysia Community with a Shared Future' as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest, and reached a broad consensus.

As part of the consensus, both countries affirmed that they would "remain steadfast to strengthen and deepen the bilateral cooperation in taking it to even greater heights."

Further key highlights of the visit include:

• The two countries will foster opportunities to develop new quality productive forces in the areas of digital economy, green development, AI and energy. They also hope to explore partnerships in the advanced manufacturing industry, scientific and technological innovation, small-and-medium enterprise development and start-up, as well as financial services, and to jointly develop and identify new areas for mutual synergy and capitalise on existing cooperation and facilitation platforms.
• The two sides agreed to carry out more exchanges and cooperation in the semiconductor value chain and maintain the stability of the industrial and global supply chains.
• Both nations agreed to strengthen rail transportation and infrastructure cooperation and contribute to the realisation of the Pan-Asian Railway vision, in efforts to srengthen cooperation in trade, investment and infrastructure connectivity.

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Lead image / Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia