Malaysian PM hails growing cultural, people-to-people exchanges with China

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized that Malaysia and China have made significant progress in promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges through initiatives such as promoting the lion dance and facilitating visa-exempt travel.

Earlier this year, the two countries agreed to jointly apply for the inclusion of the lion dance on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Both nations applauded the lion dance as a shared historical and cultural treasure and committed to preserving this cultural legacy together.

In an interview with China Media Group in Beijing, aired on Friday, Ibrahim emphasized the lion dance's importance in enriching Malaysia's cultural fabric.

"In Malaysia, lion dance [is featured] in always every single function. They (Malaysians) don't wait for the Lunar [New] Year. Particularly [in] the ethnic Chinese community, I always see a lion dance. Never mind the noise, but then it is enriching our culture. Malay Muslims are the majority, but it [lion dance] is part of the culture. We do accept it and embrace it. So when it comes to jointly promoting the lion dance with China, it doesn't come as a problem at all," said the prime minister.

Additionally, China has extended its visa-free entry policy for Malaysians until the end of 2025, and Malaysia has reciprocated with a similar policy for Chinese citizens.

Regarding the impact of these visa policies, Ibrahim noted that they have provided a significant boost to Malaysia's tourism industry, which saw a 186-percent increase in Chinese tourist arrivals from September to October this year.

"It is extremely or largely significant because it has propelled the number of tourists from China -- also from Malaysia [to China] -- but mostly from China because it is a big country [with a] huge population. I think [Malaysia saw] a 186-percent increase [of tourists from China] from September to October this year. So, it is something which is of great and immense help to the tourism industry," Ibrahim said.

Malaysian PM hails growing cultural, people-to-people exchanges with China

Malaysian PM hails growing cultural, people-to-people exchanges with China

Homegrown snow gear and facilities are now helping resorts across China provide better services to skiers who are expecting domestic brands to roll out more high-quality and thoughtful products that fit better with habits of Asian users.

The rising demand of Chinese skiers is boosted by a growing market with industry reports predicting that the country's ice and snow economy will surpass 1 trillion yuan (about 140 billion U.S. dollars) by 2025.

Since hitting the slope is no longer a niche sport, resorts across China receive an increasing influx of snow enthusiasts. In particular, the Beidahu Ski Resort, one of the best destinations for skiers in northeast China's Jilin Province, is welcoming up to 10,000 snow enthusiasts daily.

Eleven of the 13 cable cars in the resort were designed and produced in China. Running six meters per second, it takes only 12 minutes for them to carry the skiers up to the mountaintop.

"As wind resistance and speed of the cable cars were significantly improved, their quality almost matches the imported products," said Yan Shuai, marketing director of the Beidahu Ski Resort.

Homegrown snowboards made with carbon fiber and protective gear featuring high-tech fabrics are also winning Chinese customers' favor and many of the updated goods are specially designed for Asian users.

"The ski goggle has three layers of sponge padding, which help it fit better with the faces of Asian users and effectively minimize lens fogging during skiing," said Jia Xiaona, a store manager.

As winter sports become increasingly popular in China, domestic brands are receiving increasing anticipation from skiers who believe that it is quality that will finally help homegrown products to win over customers.

"I think many snowboarders feel that Chinese brands need to deliver standout performance to truly impress. Once they do, confidence in these brands will certainly grow. I think the shift will take some time, because we have relied on imported snowboards for so many years," said Li Jiongxuan, a snowboarder from north China's Tianjin Municipality.

Homegrown snow gear, facilities help improve skiing experience in China