KUALA LUMPUR, 26 MAY 2025: Tourism Malaysia welcomed China Eastern Airlines’ inaugural flight last week connecting Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province in northwest China, to Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur.
The milestone represents a significant step towards enhancing bilateral tourism and economic relations between Malaysia and China.
Lanzhou, a major transportation and economic hub in northwestern China, has seen rapid growth driven by rising incomes and a growing middle class. Strategically positioned along the historic Silk Road, the city plays a vital role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative by promoting enhanced connectivity with Central Asia and other countries, including Malaysia.
The airline will serve the new Lanzhou-Kuala Lumpur route with three weekly flights using an Airbus A320 aircraft with 156 seats. The service complements an existing daily Kunming–Kuala Lumpur flight and marks the first direct air link between Lanzhou and Malaysia.
By offering connecting routes via Kunming, this expansion creates broader opportunities to attract outbound travellers from key Chinese cities to Malaysia.
The inaugural flight received a warm welcome at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), led by Samuel Lee Thai Hung, Deputy Director General of Tourism Malaysia, alongside representatives from China Eastern Airlines, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), Tourism Malaysia, and AeroDarat, the airline’s ground handling partner.
From January to March 2025, Malaysia received 10.1 million international visitor arrivals, representing an increase of 22.2% from the previous year. Malaysia received 1,124,635 visitors from China overall, which showcases a robust 36.5% year-on-year increase. The extension of the visa-free policy for Chinese nationals until December 2026, combined with improved flight connectivity, will further boost this positive momentum. These developments reinforce cultural and people-to-people links and contribute significantly to the tourism sector and broader economic cooperation.
