XI’AN (China), May 29 – Malaysia plans to establish a consulate office in Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi province, to facilitate visa issuance for the Chinese here to visit Malaysia, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said the consulate office, which was for immigration purposes, aimed to increase the flow of visitors from the northwestern province to visit Malaysia and vice versa. “One or two immigration officers will be appointed to facilitate the visa issuance as there are a lot of requests from the local population to visit Malaysia,” he told Malaysian journalists after visiting the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses here on Wednesday.
He said Malaysian low cost carrier, Air Asia would also commence four flights a week to Xi’an from Kuala Lumpur beginning early July this year. Najib was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and his son Nor Ashman.
Joining him on the visit were International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China, Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting.
Najib said he included the time-honoured Xi’an in his state visit to China as it was the beginning of Chinese civilization that started some 5,000 years ago. “I appreciated the greatness of Chinese civilization by visiting Xi’an, particularly the civilization started by Chinese first emperor Qin around 2,200 years ago to unify China.
“It was also the time that China began as a nation or state and I am absolutely thrilled with the visit,” he said, adding that he hoped it would be a reminder of China’s legacy to mankind.
– BERNAMA
