Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri (L) and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing attend the launching ceremony of the "Virtual Exhibition of Zhejiang" event in Kuala Lumpur, Nov. 24, 2021. East China's Zhejiang Province is drawing the attention of Malaysians with the launch of a virtual exhibition on Wednesday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chuang/Xinhua)

East China's Zhejiang Province is drawing the attention of Malaysians with the launch of a virtual exhibition on Wednesday.

In her speech at the launch of the "Virtual Exhibition of Zhejiang", Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri said the event is an important step in preparing for a post-pandemic tourism climate, which has seen the sector take a hit globally.

"Soon, Malaysia will open its border to welcome international tourism gradually and tourism is expected to thrive and prosper once again," she said.

"I believe this event will be a good start, we expect more continuous and closer cooperation with Zhejiang of China to ensure a solid foundation for the recovery of the post-COVID-19 period," she added.

Nancy also expressed her confidence that the event and others like it would drum up interest between tourists of both countries in resuming travelling, with Malaysians eager to experience the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Zhejiang, among other Chinese destinations.

"China is one of the major sources of inbound tourists for Malaysia. Meanwhile, Zhejiang of China is also one of the popular tourist destinations for Malaysians. Our bilateral relationship is strengthened by our people visiting each other," she said.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing noted that the history of contact between Zhejiang and Malaysia could be traced back to the height of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, and this tradition of contact would be the foundation of stronger people-to-people interaction in modern times.

"I believe this ceremony will enhance the mutual understanding, expand and deepen the cooperation between Zhejiang and Malaysia. With the further development of the Belt and Road Initiative, the cultural and tourism cooperation between Zhejiang Province and Malaysia will definitely be broader and brighter," he said.

The "Virtual Exhibition of Zhejiang" consists of five sections, namely Charm of Landscape, Collection of History, Alley of Craftsmanship, Echo of Sounds and Taste of Jiangnan, which offers a comprehensive and panoramic view of the natural beauty, rich history, intangible cultural heritage, fantastic art and local delicacies in Zhejiang.

The ceremony was also virtually attended by tourism officials from Vietnam and Singapore, besides representatives from China and Malaysia, helping showcase Zhejiang Province to a wider Southeast Asian audience. 

Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri speaks at the launching ceremony of the "Virtual Exhibition of Zhejiang" event in Kuala Lumpur, Nov. 24, 2021. East China's Zhejiang Province is drawing the attention of Malaysians with the launch of a virtual exhibition on Wednesday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chuang/Xinhua)

Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri (C), Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing (R) and Li Zhongping, chief representatve of Zhejiang Tourism Promotion Center in Southeast Asia, attend the launching ceremony of the "Virtual Exhibition of Zhejiang" event in Kuala Lumpur, Nov. 24, 2021. East China's Zhejiang Province is drawing the attention of Malaysians with the launch of a virtual exhibition on Wednesday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chuang/Xinhua)