(Yicai) July 11 -- The newest agreement on reciprocal visa waivers between China and Malaysia will take effect on July 17, according to the Chinese foreign affairs ministry.

Holders of valid Chinese and Malaysian ordinary passports will be able to enjoy visa-free stays of up to 30 days in each other's country for tourism, family, business, and exchange purposes, for a maximum of 90 days every 180 days, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday.

The agreement was signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Malaysia in April.

China and Malaysia signed their first deal on reciprocal visa waivers in 2023. According to that, China granted 15-day visa-free entry between Dec. 1, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2024, to holders of Malaysian passports, while Malaysia allowed Chinese citizens to stay for up to 30 days without a visa, starting December 2023.

In June last year, the pair extended their original agreement. China agreed to prolong its visa-free policy for Malaysian citizens until the end of this year, while Malaysia did the same for Chinese citizens until the end of 2026.

According to data from Chinese online travel agency Qunar, Malaysia has become a top-three destination for Chinese outbound travelers this summer, with hotel bookings surging 43 percent from a year earlier.

In terms of international flight ticket sales, Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur tops Qunar's most popular outbound destination list for summer travel, with other Malaysian cities such as Tawau and Langkawi also being among the top picks of Chinese tourists.

Malaysia received 3.7 million Chinese visitors last year, with the figure expected to reach five million this year and seven million next year, according to the country's tourism authority.

Editor: Futura Costaglione