GEORGE TOWN, March 23 — Penang is set to achieve a significant milestone with the launch of its first direct flight connecting Qingdao, China and the state on March 31, marking a major step in enhancing air connectivity between Malaysia and China.

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said that the new route, to be operated by Qingdao Airlines, represents a crucial development in strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in tourism, trade and cultural exchanges

“With the introduction of this route, Qingdao will become the northernmost city in China currently connected to Penang via direct flights.

“This important breakthrough reflects the steady northward expansion of Penang’s air connectivity with China, progressively enhancing our network coverage and strengthening overall connectivity,” he said in a statement today.

Wong, who is currently leading a state delegation to Shandong Province, attended the Qingdao–Penang Direct Flight Launching and Cooperation Matchmaking Event yesterday, aimed at leveraging the new route to boost tourism and economic collaboration.

Citing data from the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Statistics, he said the province’s population reached 104.3 million as of the end of 2025, and the new route is expected to serve as a gateway to other major cities in the province, including Yantai, Jinan, Zibo, Weifang, Weihai and Rizhao.

He added that the route would also enable Penang to leverage Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport as a strategic hub, enhancing connectivity to Northeast China cities such as Harbin, Changchun, Yanji and Dalian, opening up greater opportunities to tap into Northern China markets.

“In addition, Qingdao Airlines’ network extends to major cities such as Seoul, Jeju and Daegu in South Korea, as well as Osaka and Nagoya in Japan, which will not only connect Penang with Shandong and Northeast China, but also position Penang within the broader Northeast Asia market, strengthening regional connectivity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Qingdao Vice Mayor Gao Jian said Malaysia is currently the third-largest source of inbound tourists to Qingdao.

“With the launch of the direct flight, a single route will connect two vibrant cities and reduce travel time to a convenient same-day journey,” he said.

He also outlined three key areas of cooperation, namely strengthening economic and trade collaboration, deepening cultural and tourism exchanges, and enhancing people-to-people ties through multi-level engagement. — Bernama