Lanzhou-Kuala Lumpur Direct Flight to Boost Ties with China - Tourism Malaysia
PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), May 23 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia hailed the inaugural direct flight from Lanzhou, China, to Kuala Lumpur as a major milestone in strengthening bilateral tourism and economic ties between Malaysia and China.
Tourism Malaysia in a statement Friday said the route operated by China Eastern Airlines connects Lanzhou, a key economic and transportation hub in northwestern China, to Malaysia with three weekly flights using an Airbus A320 aircraft.
The maiden flight landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Friday.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward in enhancing bilateral tourism and economic relations between Malaysia and China,” Tourism Malaysia said.
Tourism Malaysia underlined that the new Lanzhou-Kuala Lumpur route not only marks the first direct air link between the two cities but also complements the existing daily Kunming–Kuala Lumpur flights.
“Besides offering connecting routes via Kunming, this expansion creates broader opportunities to attract outbound travellers from key Chinese cities to Malaysia,” it said.
Strategically located along the historic Silk Road, Lanzhou plays a vital role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), particularly in promoting connectivity between China and countries in Central Asia and Southeast Asia, including Malaysia.
Tourism Malaysia highlighted that the collaborative effort behind the new service reflects a shared commitment to strengthening tourism and cultural ties between both countries.
"It also reflects Malaysia’s proactive approach in leveraging the resurgence of outbound travel from China,” the statement read.
Tourism Malaysia noted that from January to March 2025, Malaysia recorded 10.1 million international visitor arrivals, a 22.2 per cent increase from the same period last year and notably, over 1.124 million visitors came from China, representing a robust 36.5 per cent year-on-year increase.
"The extension of Malaysia’s visa-free policy for Chinese nationals until December 2026 is also expected to sustain and boost this positive trend.
"Tourism Malaysia looks forward to continued collaboration with Chinese partners and remains committed to providing enriching, diverse, and welcoming experiences for Chinese travellers across the country," it added.
-- BERNAMA
