A mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Malaysia officially came into effect on Thursday, following more than a year of trial implementation.

As of July 17, 2025, citizens of China and Malaysia holding ordinary passports can travel between the two countries visa-free for up to 30 days per visit, with a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period.

During the trial period, which started on December 1, 2023, Malaysian statistics showed 3.8 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia in 2024, making China the largest source of tourists to Malaysia outside ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries.

China has now signed mutual visa exemption agreements with 158 countries.

China saw a surge in visa-free entries in the first half of 2025, with 13.64 million foreign nationals visiting China without a visa. This group made up 71.2 percent of all foreign arrivals, marking a 53.9-percent year-on-year increase, the National Immigration Administration said on Wednesday.