MELAKA ENJOYS POSITIVE OUTCOMES FROM GUANGXI PARTNERSHIP, SAYS CHIEF MINISTER

MELAKA, April 9 (Bernama) -- Melaka has benefited positively from its bilateral ties with the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

He said this included increased tourist arrivals from China, reaching 664,000 last year compared to 204,000 in 2023. Cultural groups from Guangxi also performed during the launch ceremony of Visit Melaka Year 2024.

“Based on this success, the Visit Melaka Year campaign will be extended until 2026, in line with the national target of attracting 35.6 million tourists during Visit Malaysia Year,” he told reporters during the visit of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Governor Lan Tianli to Melaka today.

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Also present were Guangxi People’s Government secretary-general Zhong Dezhi, Guangxi Foreign Affairs Office director-general Wei Ran, Guangxi Commerce Department director-general Yang Chunting and Nanning Customs Administration head Wang Weibing.

The visit also saw the signing of a Letter of Intent between Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka and Guangxi Minzu University, along with the launch of the China-Malaysia TVET Industry-Education Alliance.

Ab Rauf said Governor Lan had also offered 15 scholarships to Malaysian youths to pursue Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses, with five slots specifically allocated for students from Melaka.

“This is a positive development involving bilateral relations between Melaka and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and we will initiate more collaborations moving forward.

“We will also continue to strengthen ties between the two regions and explore new areas of cooperation across multiple sectors for mutual benefits,” he said.

-- BERNAMA