Dai Bin | To promote high-quality tourism exchange and high-level cooperation between China and ASEAN

Dear Consul General Mr. Kajtiti Wiwatwanont,

Colleagues in the tourism industry and friends in the media,

Hello everyone! 

In 1996, China and ASEAN established a comprehensive dialogue partnership, and their strategic mutual trust has continued to deepen, evolving into a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021. A review of the over 170 joint declarations, initiatives, agreements, and action plans signed between China, ASEAN, and its member countries reveals that tourism cooperation has been consistently highlighted as a key focus. In this process, local governments and the tourism industry have increasingly become important forces driving the deepening and solidifying of China-ASEAN tourism cooperation. Over a hundred documents have clearly outlined the in-depth collaboration between local provinces and cities in areas such as tourism resource development, cross-border tourism facilitation, promotion of tourism routes, joint marketing, and market regulation. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has actively engaged in border tourism cooperation with Vietnam's Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang provinces, working to establish the China (Pingxiang)-Vietnam (Van Lang) Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone and jointly operate the Detian (Ban Gioc) Waterfall Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone. The China Tourism Group actively promoted investment in hotel and duty-free retail projects in Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and other countries. Ctrip's overseas platform Trip.com established an Asian live broadcast center in Thailand and participated in financing for Vietnam's shared accommodation enterprise M Village. Chinese-funded enterprises have also invested in infrastructure such as Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, steadily laying the market foundation for bilateral tourism cooperation.

Dear colleagues and friends,

ASEAN countries have long been a core source market for inbound tourism to China. In 2010, the number of tourist arrivals from ASEAN countries to China was 5.75 million, which rose to 25.94 million in 2019, representing an average annual growth rate of 18%. In 2019, tourists from ASEAN countries accounted for over 80% of China's total foreign tourist market. In 2024, the number of tourists from Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia visiting China has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

ASEAN countries are also the primary outbound tourism destinations for Chinese citizens. In 2010, Chinese citizens made 5.42 million visits to ASEAN countries, which increased to 32.28 million in 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 22%. Among Chinese tourists visiting ASEAN, over 80% traveled to Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Cambodia. China is the largest source market for Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and the second largest for Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, and Brunei. Since 2023, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia have been the most visited ASEAN countries by Chinese tourists.

Satisfaction levels among tourists traveling between China and ASEAN member states are consistently high. According to a special survey on tourist satisfaction conducted by the China Tourism Academy, from 2013 to the first half of 2025, Chinese tourists' overall satisfaction with seven ASEAN countries—Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam—showed a fluctuating upward trend. Chinese travelers gave relatively high ratings for shopping, destination image, attractions, and accommodation. From 2024 to the first half of 2025, inbound tourists from major ASEAN countries including Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia also reported generally high satisfaction levels with their travel experience in China, falling within the "satisfied" range. These tourists particularly appreciated aspects such as transportation, accommodation, and catering in China.

China and ASEAN share geographical proximity, cultural affinity, political mutual trust, and frequent economic and trade exchanges, creating broad prospects for tourism cooperation. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion in China and nearly 700 million in ASEAN, the combined population accounts for over a quarter of the global total. This massive population base provides a solid foundation for tourism exchanges. China and ASEAN are the world's second and fifth largest economies, respectively, and have maintained relatively rapid growth. According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in 2024, the GDP growth rates of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia were all at or above 5%. China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partners for five consecutive years. Robust economic growth and frequent trade exchanges have effectively driven continuous growth in tourism exchange between China and ASEAN.

China has established full mutual visa exemption agreements with Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Citizens holding ordinary passports from China and Brunei can also enter each other's countries visa-free. At the beginning of this year, China implemented a 144-hour visa-free policy for tour groups (of two or more people) from the ten ASEAN countries entering through Xishuangbanna. Additionally, China grants five-year multiple-entry visas to businesspeople and their core family members from ASEAN countries.

The opening of the China-Laos Railway has significantly boosted bilateral tourism. In 2024, the number of Chinese citizens traveling to Laos hit a historical high, while the number of Lao tourists visiting China increased by 110%. Thanks to cooperation in the financial sector, the interoperability of cross-border mobile payments has significantly improved the consumer experience for travelers.

In 2024, the total number of mutual visits between China and ASEAN reached approximately 35 million, a 96% increase compared to 2023. Over 14 million visits were made by ASEAN tourists to China, nearly doubling from the previous year. Among these, Vietnam had the largest number of tourists visiting China, followed by Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Chinese citizens made over 20 million visits to ASEAN countries, a 93% year-on-year increase. Thailand received the most Chinese tourists, followed by Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. Preliminary estimates suggest that in the first half of 2025, tourism flows between China and ASEAN reached around 20 million visits. The full-year total for 2025 is expected to further recover, and 2026 may even set a new historical record.

Dear colleagues and friends,

We hope that China and ASEAN will further innovate, optimize, and implement the mechanisms for cultural exchange and tourism cooperation. Efforts should be made to carry out the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation in People-to-People Exchanges, establish a China-ASEAN Ministers' Meeting on tourism, and focus on improving facilitation in visa policies, payment systems, and tax-free shopping and reimbursement processes. A China-ASEAN Tourism Cooperation Forum is recommended to be held to provide a platform for collaboration among governments, industries, academia, and research institutions in the region. This forum may also release a China-ASEAN Tourism Cooperation Report, promote data sharing, and jointly conduct tourism policy research. Themed seminars are to be organized to promote dialogue among local governments and market players. Existing branded tourism expos can serve as docking platforms for trade negotiations among market participants. We may make good use of the China-ASEAN Expo Tourism Exhibition, which has been held for ten consecutive years. In 2024, the number of Chinese exhibitors exceeded 5,600. In contrast, ASEAN exhibitors numbered only 300—highlighting the urgent need to address the imbalance of "strong domestic interest but weak international response, and active governmental engagement but lukewarm economic participation." It is also recommended to establish a dedicated multilingual website as soon as possible, promptly publish the list of past exhibitors, and open up convenient channels for investment institutions and business entities to register for participation and maintain contact after the events. These steps will help continuously enhance exhibitors' sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

At the national level, greater emphasis is recommended to be placed on strengthening tourism safety cooperation. Tourism exchanges between China and ASEAN are vulnerable to factors such as telecom fraud, public security issues, regional conflicts, and geopolitical tensions. Over the past two years, safety risks in traditional outbound destinations for Chinese citizens—such as Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines—have had a substantial negative impact on bilateral tourism cooperation. In 2024, the number of Chinese tourists to the Philippines and Myanmar recovered to only 20% and 10% of 2019 levels, respectively. In the first half of 2025, Chinese visits to Thailand declined by 34% year-on-year. This situation must be urgently addressed by reshaping the image of ASEAN destinations as both safe and high-quality travel choices.

Greater attention should be given to leveraging the proactive role of local-level tourism cooperation. Efforts should be made to expand and deepen the development of border tourism pilot zones and cross-border tourism cooperation zones. The construction of the Fangchenggang Border Tourism Pilot Zone in Guangxi should continue to be deepened. While simplifying customs clearance procedures for tour groups, further optimization is needed for the entry and exit processes of foreign vehicles and ferry passengers. Research may be conducted into establishing a South China Sea Border Tourism Demonstration Zone, allowing cruise ships and ferries traveling between Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Fuzhou, and ASEAN countries to dock in designated areas such as Yongxing Island in the Xisha (Paracel) Islands, with organized island tours for visitors.

Drawing on the experience of the Detian (Ban Gioc) Waterfall Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone, a China-Laos cross-border tourism cooperation zone can be developed. Based on the Mohan–Boten Economic Cooperation Zone between China and Laos, efforts may be made to promote the establishment of the Mohan–Boten Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone. A pilot program for "onboard customs clearance" should be explored, allowing passengers to complete entry and exit procedures within the train compartments. With the China-Laos Railway as a backbone, a "Golden Route of China-Laos Cross-Border Tourism" can be created by integrating high-quality cultural and tourism resources from Yunnan Province and Laos along the route, thereby enhancing the brand influence of China-Laos cross-border tourism.

Efforts should be made to deepen the integration of culture and tourism, leveraging festivals, events, and cultural and creative products to enhance tourism appeal and service quality. In March 2024, Singapore secured the exclusive rights to host all six of Taylor Swift's Southeast Asia concerts, attracting a large number of fans from China and ASEAN countries. This significantly boosted tourism-related consumption in sectors such as aviation, hotels, and theme parks. Thailand granted the title of "Amazing Thailand Experience Officer" to Labubu, a character under Pop Mart, and launched the "Labubu's Thai Adventure" campaign. Tourism agencies from China and ASEAN countries should join forces to strengthen research on the travel behaviors and consumption preferences of young travelers, and work together to build a globally influential system of cultural tourism symbols, projects, products, and services.