UnionPay and Tourism Malaysia Seal Strategic Partnership at ITB Shanghai to Power Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026)
The ceremony was held at the Tourism Malaysia Pavilion between Ms. Zhuang Bei, Vice President of UnionPay International, and YBhg. Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, underscoring a shared commitment in strengthening tourism cooperation and enhancing the travel experience for Chinese visitors. Part of this collaboration is an extension of its broader, ongoing efforts to make overseas spending more seamless and familiar for Chinese visitors.
In Malaysia, over 90% of merchants accept UnionPay cards, making it more convenient for travellers to pay for both large and small purchases. For bigger ticket items, UnionPay cards are widely accepted, meanwhile for smaller purchases, Chinese visitors can easily use the UnionPay app to make QR code payments. This blend of card acceptance for larger transactions and QR code interoperability for everyday purchases ensures UnionPay cardholders to feel at home while traveling in Malaysia.
Both parties are agreed on joint marketing and branding efforts to promote a wider acceptance of digital payments among tourism-related merchants in Malaysia, as well as introducing exclusive travel benefits for UnionPay cardholders. This partnership also supports the objectives of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), a national campaign focused on revitalizing international tourism by improving the travel experience and making Malaysia more appealing alongside accessible to Chinese travellers.
"We are truly excited to be part of this meaningful collaboration, especially as Malaysia prepares to welcome the world for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026). Malaysia continues to be one of the most preferred destinations among Chinese travellers—not only because of its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, but also due to the deep historical and people-to-people ties between our countries. With this partnership, we're proud to contribute to making travelling more seamless and enjoyable for UnionPay cardholders, while supporting Malaysia's broader efforts to boost tourism and economic recovery," said Zhuang Bei, Vice President of UnionPay International.
Tourism Malaysia emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships in achieving its 2026 tourism goals. The agency noted that providing trusted and widely accepted payment solutions is a key enabler for increasing tourist satisfaction and encouraging repeat visits.
About UnionPay International
UnionPay International (UPI) is a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay's global business. Working with over 2,600 partners worldwide, UPI enables card acceptance in 183 countries and regions with issuance in 84 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world's largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.
About Tourism Malaysia
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. The next Visit Malaysia, set to take place in 2026, will commemorate the sustainability of the nation's tourism industry, which is also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia's social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/unionpay-and-tourism-malaysia-seal-strategic-partnership-at-itb-shanghai-to-power-visit-malaysia-2026-vm2026-302469154.html
SOURCE UnionPay International
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Nvidia tops list of veteran analyst's best stocks for rest of 2025
Wall Street's still bullish on AI, and Wedbush just named its five must-watch tech stocks to scoop up for the rest of 2025. Nvidia's (NVDA) was perhaps a no-brainer, with its mission-critical role as the engine behind nearly every noteworthy AI deployment. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter But the other four? They spread their tentacles across multiple sectors and strategies, each offering something unique in what Wedbush calls the "golden age of tech." The common thread: They're all tied to the fast-evolving real-world scaling of AI. Image source: Chesnot/Getty Images Nvidia's the ultimate juggernaut in the AI realm, with a chokehold on the AI accelerator space and a pace of innovation that's second to none. Today, Nvidia controls north of 90% of the global AI accelerator market, led by the explosive demand for its H100 and H20 GPUs. Even with the escalating tensions between the U.S. and China, Nvidia managed to maintain export licenses, enabling it to cater to its Chinese clients. Related: Jim Cramer drops jaw-dropping price target on Palantir stock post-earnings Also, earlier this year, Nvidia crossed a $4 trillion market cap, a rare feat that's indicative of its critical role in every major cloud provider's AI strategy. Whether it's Amazon, Microsoft (MSFT) , or Google, they're all running Nvidia chips, for both model training and high-throughput inferencing. But hardware is just part of the story. Nvidia's real moat is arguably its robust software stack. CUDA, launched over a decade ago, has become the backbone for the bulk of AI development today. Add in cuDNN, TensorRT, and other optimized libraries, and the result is impeccable speed and developer efficiency. Its powerful new Blackwell architecture, successor to Hopper, adds next-level performance-per-watt, setting the stage for swifter large-language-model training with specialized tensor cores. Also, at the COMPUTEX event this year, CEO Jensen Huang doubled down. Nvidia will be involved in building a massive $500 billion worth of AI infrastructure in the U.S. over four years, while expanding its sovereign-cloud partnerships across Europe and the Middle East. Tech heavyweights are just a huge vote of confidence from the veteran analyst team at Wedbush. In a new note, popular tech analyst Daniel Ives and his team doubled down on their top five picks for the second half of 2025. These included Nvidia, Meta Platforms (META) , Microsoft, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) , and Tesla (TSLA) . The first four in particular, though, "paint a bullish story for the AI revolution." Related: Cathie Wood splurges $4.1 million on popular AI stock "The Street is still underestimating the AI-driven growth wave coming," Wedbush said, pointing to healthier Q2 earnings that effectively "validated" the bull case across the board. Palantir in particular killed it with a "blowout quarter," cementing its place as the "poster child" for AI's next phase. Wedbush believes the AI market is still in its early stages, and the firm is tracking $2 trillion in enterprise and government AI spending over the next three years. "We've barely scratched the surface of this fourth industrial revolution," Ives wrote, adding that tech leaders like Nvidia, Microsoft, Palantir, Meta, and Alphabet are setting new benchmarks. More News: Warren Buffett's stock sends louder signals than Berkshire's earnings beatVeteran analyst spots unexpected star in Apple's earnings reportNvidia avoids White House crackdown; Trump softens on AI giant Additionally, he talked about the strength in the broader software sector as the next big wave. As more companies move from AI experimentation to full-scale adoption, Wedbush sees the incredible momentum accelerating into year-end. Big tech's AI leaders stay hot, with one notable exception Nvidia is arguably the undisputed king in the AI momentum trade. The chipmaker is still climbing, up more than 31.72% year-to-date and a whopping 55.8% over the past three months alone. Investor optimism is centered around robust data-center demand and easing tensions between the U.S. and China. What's most surprising is that even with export-license delays and geopolitical pressure, institutions continue to pour into the AI behemoth. Meta Platforms isn't far behind. A strong Q2 showing triggered an 11% post-earnings jump, with revenue growth coming in at an impressive 22%. CEO Mark Zuckerberg's AI-led ad upgrades and ramp-up in AI hardware hiring have helped push the stock to roughly 31% higher YTD, and 30.43% over three months. Reality Labs continues to bleed cash, but the core business looks stronger than ever. Microsoft, now a $4 trillion club member, leans on its cloud giant Azure's mid-30% year-over-year growth and a deepening OpenAI partnership. Also, with Windows 10 support ending in October, a PC upgrade cycle looms. Also, a massive $80 billion AI infrastructure spend planned for 2025 could supercharge its lead. Consequently, the stock is up more than 25% YTD and 21% in three months. Palantir is perhaps the dark horse. It recently posted powerful Q2 results, where revenue surged 48% YOY to over $1 billion, and retail enthusiasm hasn't cooled off, either. Shares are up a staggering 128% YTD, including 58.45% over the past three months. EV giant Tesla, meanwhile, is the clear laggard, down 22.37% YTD, despite a short-term 20.5% bump in recent months. European EV sales have cratered, and CEO Elon Musk's political presence continues to stir the pot. Related: Morgan Stanley slaps eye-popping price target on Nvidia stock The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Epoch Times
2 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Sen. Cotton Questions Intel on New CEO's China Ties
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has written to Intel seeking information about the company's new CEO, raising questions about CEO Tan Lip-Bu's investments in Chinese firms with links to the People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Chinese Communist Party. The tech giant has recently received billions in federal funding, including from a U.S. national security program.
Business Upturn
2 hours ago
- Business Upturn
‘My time in Sichuan shows harmony of multi-ethnic unity': Global Times
Beijing, China, Aug. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Curiosity about China is drawing a growing number of international travelers to visit the country. From walking on ancient stones atop the Great Wall to riding high-speed trains between glittering skylines, many say they've discovered a China they didn't expect to see. In our special series, 'Journey Through China,' the Global Times shares the impressions of international travelers who have recently spent time in China. Their firsthand accounts – ranging from casual observations to thoughtful reflections – shed light on three key aspects of today's China: infrastructure, modernization and traditional culture. In the third article of the series, Global Times (GT) reporter Ma Ruiqian talked to Paul Zilungisele Tembe (Tembe), director at the SELE Encounters Cross-Civilization Communication Strategies in South Africa and recipient of the 18th Special Book Award of China. He recently participated in a cultural tour to Sichuan Province and shared his perspective on China. GT: You mentioned that the experience of harmonious living among the multi-ethnic residents of Sichuan, a convergence of diversities toward a united and unique Chinese culture have left an indelible mark in your understanding of Chinese culture. How is this cultural inclusiveness embodied in the call of China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) for respecting the diversity of world civilizations? Tembe: The GCI is rooted in the essence of multi-ethnicity. It starts from local diversity – ethnic, cultural – and expands to national, regional and eventually global dimensions. My time in Sichuan gave me a vivid impression of what unity within diversity can look like. Coming from South Africa – a country with 12 official languages and a complex multi-ethnic society – I saw parallels. We gained our democracy in 1994, and we are still working through the process of building a unified national identity. My experience in Sichuan gave me a glimpse of what South Africa could aspire to in the long term. All the units are perfect and harmonious. I truly wish that one day Sichuan and a province in South Africa could become sister provinces. We could learn a lot from each other, especially given our shared experiences with multi-ethnic societies. GT: During your visit to Siguniang Mountains and the Wolong National Nature Reserve, you've observed a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. What is your view of China's approach to environmental protection and green development? Tembe: President Xi Jinping put forward the idea of 'Beautiful China,' meaning care for the environment. What I took away from my time in Sichuan – beyond the harmony of multi-ethnic unity – was how human development is being balanced with the protection of nature. What touched me even more deeply was my visit to the Wolong National Nature Reserve. It showed that China is able to pursue modernization without sacrificing its traditions or its environment. In addition, I visited the Siguniang Mountains and saw many kinds of precious stones in the museum. Although the region is rich in natural resources, mining is prohibited in order to protect the ecosystem. These are practical models that can be applied to the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Although climate agreements are often signed, implementation remains a challenge. What I appreciate about China is that its environmental efforts are scientific and systematic. These models can be transferred to other countries and still function effectively. I especially hope to see more cooperation within the Global South. Right now, we are a bit behind in terms of climate finance and environmental planning. But if countries in the Global South work together – through South-South cooperation or other multilateral platforms – we could adopt the Chinese model and create a better environmental trajectory. GT: Although China and Africa differ in terms of geography, culture, history and social structures, they share common values such as peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom. As a long-time advocate for China-Africa cultural exchanges, how did your travels and experiences in China lead you to recognize and resonate with these shared values? Tembe: When we talk about values, I believe we should take a step back and look at deeper philosophical roots. For example, if we consider some core tenets of Confucianism, we find values that are deeply relevant both in China and Africa. Africa stands for peace, values harmony, and is committed to hard work. Africa wants tangible and concrete results. It seeks partnerships based on equality and mutual respect. If we look at China's proposals for cooperation with Africa, especially starting from President Xi's 2013 visit to Tanzania, the four-point proposal – sincerity, real results, amity and good faith – aligns closely with African expectations of partnership. These are not just diplomatic phrases; they reflect deeper cultural values that we can trace both in Chinese civilization and in African traditions. GT: There are still some narratives in international discourse that promote the 'China threat' rhetoric. Based on your years of living and studying in China – especially your understanding of its peace-oriented cultural traditions – how would you respond to such claims? Tembe: I will give you both perspectives: The Western one, based on projection and fear; and the Chinese one, based on unity and peaceful development. First, there's a tendency that if someone has done bad things to others, they begin to judge others through that same lens. That's what we see with how the West views China. They fear that China's rise will mirror their own rise during the 15th and 16th centuries. Let's recall – the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) saw China's doors to the outside world shut. Meanwhile, the West was expanding, taking advantage of China's absence from the high seas. That period marked the beginning of Western colonialism. So now, they look at China and assume China will behave the way they did. But that's not about China; that's about them. They project their own past – colonization and domination – onto China, but they also suffer from historical amnesia. China has always had one consistent focus: unity and development. China has no interest in controlling others. China seeks friendships abroad to create a stable external environment that allows it to survive and thrive in the long run. China has experienced many historical upheavals. So its greatest concern – in development, finance and foreign policy – is preserving a unified China. I would say, as someone who studies and understands China, the West is worrying for nothing. China is not going to become the kind of global threat they imagine. But there's one thing: Nature does not allow a vacuum. In English, we say 'when the cat's away, the mice will play.' In geopolitics, the same principle applies. China needs to have a strong presence globally. But a strong global presence does not mean colonialism or the control of other countries. These things are not the same. Source: Global Times: Company: Global TimesContact Person: Anna Li Email: [email protected] Website: Beijing Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
