( March 1, 2023)

Mr. Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang State Executive Councilor for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE),

Teh Lai Heng, political secretary of Penang Chief Minister

Mr. Ooi Chok Yan, CEO of Penang Global Tourism (PGT),

Mr. Edwin Tan, Chairman of Penang Branch of Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association,

Mr. Liu Zhenhua, General Manager of Sales Department of China Southern Airlines Penang Office in Malaysia,

Leaders of Penang International Airport, 

Friends from the media,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening!

It is my great pleasure to attend the welcome ceremony in celebration of the resumption of the first direct flight between Guangzhou and Penang of China Southern Airlines. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Consulate General in Penang, I would like to express my warm congratulations on the resumption of China Southern Airlines Guangzhou-Penang direct flights, and my heartfelt appreciation to the relevant departments of Malaysian government for their meticulous arrangements for the resumption of the flights!

Since the beginning of this year, the epidemic situation in China has been brought under effective control, which sparks a strong revival of China’s tourism. During the Spring Festival holiday, domestic destinations and attractions in China received 308 million visits, up 23.1 percent year-on-year. The number is roughly 88.6 percent of that in 2019. The Chinese people’s enthusiasm and confidence in traveling are gradually being restored. During the first long holiday after the cross-border travels has been resumed, Chinese toursits celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year by travelling overseas at once. Overall outbound travel orders during the Chinese New Year period soared by 640 percent, and overseas hotel bookings and outbound air ticket bookings both increased more than four times year-on-year. Related countries including Malaysia are the most popular outbound destinations preferred by Chinese tourists to visit. In this new year, it is believed that more Chinese tourists will embrace the world, which will add new impetus to the development of the global economy.

Malaysia has abundant and diversified tourism resources, and has long been favored by Chinese tourists. Since February 6, China’s outbound group tours have resumed on a pilot basis to 20 countries, in which Malaysia is one of the first to be included. This reflects the high level of development of China-Malaysia relations, and also creates favorable conditions for the tourism cooperation between the two countries to gradually resume on an orderly basis. After three years and under such circumstances, the resumption of China Southern Airlines direct flights between Guangzhou and Penang with its right timing will greatly facilitate the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and will promote bilateral practical cooperation in various fields including tourism. On this occasion, I would like to express my appreciation to China Southern Airlines and its Penang Sales Department for their active efforts, and hope that more friends will take the direct flights in the future.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership, and next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. I sincerely hope that the two sides will take the opportunities of the two anniversaries and seize the new opportunities brought by the resumption of direct flights to further enrich the connotation of China-Malaysia relations, foster new highlights of China-Malaysia cooperation, and continue to benefit the two peoples. The Chinese Consulate General in Penang will, as always, act on the commitment of serving the people through diplomacy, provide high-quality consular protection and assistance services to all Chinese citizens who come to Penang and the consular district for travel, work, and study, and safeguard everyone’s legitimate rights and interests.

Last but not least, I would like to congratulate China Southern Airlines again on the successful resumption of the Guangzhou-Penang direct flights! 

Thank you!