To further strengthen ties and cooperation between Penang and Guangzhou, a delegation led by Liu Yumei, Director of the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism of Guangdong Province, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Penang State Government.
The delegation was received by Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, YB Wong Hon Wai, together with the CEO of Penang Global Tourism (PGT), Ooi Chok Yan.
“The delegation of Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau comprised representatives across cultural administration, museum management and the tourism industry, namely Liu Hanna, Director of the Cultural Relics Administration Division; Duan Shuangyin, Director of the Museum Division; Huang Jingru, Vice President of Guangzhou Lingnan Group Holdings Co., Ltd; and Chen Xi, tour leader of Guangzhou Lingnan Group Holdings Co.
“The delegation spans cultural tourism administration, museum systems, and the tourism industry, covering multiple sectors and levels. During the meeting, both sides exchanged insights on integrating cultural and tourism resources, mutual support in tourism development, and market expansion, laying a solid foundation for broader and higher-level cooperation between Penang and Guangdong.”
“Since Penang Island City and Guangzhou formally established a friendly cooperative exchange relationship in November 2020, exchanges have grown increasingly frequent and the foundation for collaboration has continued to strengthen. To further deepen this institutional partnership, regular engagement between government officials from both sides is essential.”
“This meeting with the Guangzhou delegation is an important continuation of the positive interaction between the two cities. It not only helps consolidate existing achievements but also paves the way for expanding cooperation across more sectors and at deeper levels in the future.” said Wong in a press statement.
Wong also highlighted that Penang and Guangzhou—one known as the Pearl of the South Seas, the other as the gateway to Lingnan—are separated by distance but closely connected through shared historical migration, cultural integration, and culinary traditions, forming deep-rooted ties.”
“In fact, many elements of Lingnan intangible cultural heritage have, over time, taken root and flourished in Penang, evolving within its multicultural context. Take lion dance as an example: Malaysia and China are jointly working to nominate this tradition for inclusion in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. During the nomination process, Penang actively participated, sending representatives of its local lion dance community to Guangzhou to attend the joint working group meeting, contributing to the effort and demonstrating Penang’s proactive role in cultural preservation and international collaboration.” he added.
In addition, Wong who also serves as Chairman of the organizing committees for the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival and the Penang International High-Pole Lion Dance Invitational Competition. These annual cultural events, organized by the Penang State Government, have consistently attracted elite teams from around the world, combining competitive excellence with strong spectator appeal. Taking this opportunity, Wong extended a sincere invitation to Guangzhou to send more outstanding teams to Penang for participation and exchange, with the aim of further enhancing cultural interaction and mutual learning while promoting Chinese cultural heritage.
“The connection between Penang and Guangzhou is built on a long-standing and solid foundation. Direct air links between the two places date back 35 years. On April 3, 1991, China Southern Airlines officially launched the Guangzhou–Penang direct flight route, marking the beginning of people-to-people exchanges and economic cooperation. At that time, it was the only direct route connecting Penang to China, making it highly significant.”
“Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guangzhou–Penang route operated by China Southern Airlines resumed quickly and has been continuously optimized and expanded. This reflects strong market recovery and sustained growth, as well as increasingly active exchanges and closer ties between the two cities.”
“Since the route resumed in March 2023, China Southern Airlines has operated 3,515 round-trip flights between Guangzhou and Penang as of March 2026, carrying approximately 540,000 passengers. The steady recovery of this route has generated over RM300 million in economic benefits for Penang, driving growth in sectors such as hospitality, transportation, food and beverage, and retail, demonstrating the strong impact of tourism on the local economy.”
Source – Penang State Tourism Office