Affordable rental housing allows people to settle down and realize dream in Shanghai

The affordable rental housing supply system in Shanghai has allowed people to settle down and realize their dreams in this metropolis.

By the end of June this year, about 47,000 units of affordable rental housing have been added in the city, with 34,000 units having been supplied to the market.

It's a response to Shanghai's multi-dimensional rental housing supply system called "one bed, one room, and one suite." One suite is for family clients, one room is for youngsters who just come to the city for work, and one bed is for front line construction laborers.

Zhu Xinqi, an employee of a property management company, has her own "bed" in a community near the subway station by the East China University of Science and Technology.

Living in an apartment for six people with separate toilet and shower room, Zhu is satisfied with her living condition and the monthly rent -- 700 yuan (about 96.5 U.S. dollars).

Zhu is from east China's Jiangxi Province, and has worked in Shanghai for three years.

"It's only two to three kilometers from home to work, a 10-15 minute ride by my electric bike. I can go to the community canteen for dinner. It's convenient as I don't have to cook myself," she said.

"A vegetarian dish costs three yuan (about 0.41 U.S. dollars) or five yuan (about 0.69 U.S. dollars), while a dish with meat costs seven yuan or eight yuan. So [One can only spend] a dozen yuan on a meal, as they can enjoy a discount of 15 percent with community resident card," said a staff member of the community canteen.

Cui Wenlong and his wife Qi Meiying, both from central China's Henan Province, live in a super-large rental housing community with 3,500 apartments adjacent to the Huangpu River.

They applied for this apartment through their employer, and the monthly rent is 3,560 yuan.

"For us, it is really like a home far away from our hometown. There is a place belonging to us in the city, and we would like to go home after work as soon as possible," said Qi Meiying.

"'One bed' mainly focuses on the front line builders and managers, 'one room' on young people and new citizens who have just found jobs or started their own businesses, while 'one suite' on meeting higher requirements of rental needs," said Yao Wenjiang, deputy director of the housing security department under the Shanghai Housing Administration Bureau.

Affordable rental housing allows people to settle down and realize dream in Shanghai

Malaysia has extended its visa-free entry for Chinese citizens for another five years, a move that has already led to a sharp rise in tourist arrivals and reinforced economic and diplomatic ties with China.

The initiative follows China's decision to waive visa requirements for Malaysian travelers in late 2023, triggering a two-way tourism boom between the two countries.

Popular destinations like the Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur are now filled with Chinese tourists taking advantage of the simplified entry process.

"The whole process is very simple. After arriving in Kuala Lumpur, we could use the self-service channel to tour Malaysia," said Nancy Niu, a Chinese tourist from Shandong.

For many, the ease of entry has changed travel plans.

"We'd originally planned to travel within China. But when we heard about the visa exemption, we decided to go to Malaysia. That made it very convenient. If you want to come during the May Day holiday, or National Day holiday, just for a few days, there's no need to apply for a visa, you can just come," said Louie Zhang, a Chinese visitor from Shenzhen.

Returning travelers are also noticing the difference.

"When I came to Malaysia before, there were too many steps. We had to queue in very long lines. Now, there's basically no queuing. It's very quick to clear immigration," said Wang Xiaofeng, a Chinese visitor from Sichuan.

Tourism operators are welcoming the policy extension as a long-term boost to the industry.

"This extension is very much welcome news because it has always been very good for the industry, looking towards China as one of its main source markets. This is going to mean that we're going to have a lot more time to plan, to really understand the Chinese market and to perhaps even cater to the new, upcoming trends that the Chinese tourists are looking for," said Nigel Wong, president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents.

So far in 2025, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia has risen by around 30 percent compared to the same period last year, according to Wang.

Chinese tourist arrivals soar as Malaysia extends visa waiver