KUALA LUMPUR – Travellers to and from China can look forward to five new routes by China Eastern Airlines, connecting Malaysia to its biggest trading partner.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the Chinese carrier is committed to opening four routes connecting Kuala Lumpur to Xian, Chengdu, Wuhan and Nanjing, and one linking Penang to Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport.
This comes after the Malaysian minister met the airlines’ top management at their office yesterday.
Currently, Chinese and Indian nationals enjoy a 30-day visa exemption when they travel to Malaysia – a policy announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last year.
Meanwhile, Malaysian citizens holding ordinary passports entering China for business, tourism, family visits, and transit purposes enjoy visa-free travel for up to 15 days starting December 1 until November 30, 2024.
Previously, it was reported that China Eastern initiated flights on the Beijing to Kuala Lumpur route from January 26 onwards, at least a daily round-trip flight on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays on the Airbus A330.
The carrier is expected to launch daily flights from Shanghai Pudong to other destinations in Malaysia in the second half of the year, including Penang and Kuching in Sarawak. – February 23, 2024