He said this was raised when deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi paid a courtesy call on Chinese premier Li Qiang yesterday.

Norman said China has agreed to consider the proposal and is expected to finalise discussions on the matter during home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s official visit to China, scheduled for June 4.

“China has already announced the extension of the visa exemption period for Malaysian tourists for another year, ending in late 2025.

“However, on our part, no decision has been made yet,” he told a press conference today in conjunction with Zahid’s official visit to China, which began on May 22 and ends on Saturday.

In November 2023, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced a 30-day visa exemption for tourists from China and India starting Dec 1 of the same year.

“Both parties (Zahid and Li Qiang) agree that the existing visa exemption decision stimulates various economic segments, including business between the two countries, and is not limited to the tourism sector alone,” Norman said.