With the mutual visa-exemption policy, Cheok said she foresees even more frequent exchanges — her family is already planning to attend her graduation in Tianjin this year, while more of her Chinese friends are preparing trips to Malaysia.

　　According to Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing, nearly 3.8 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia last year, and there were over 500 flights between the two countries every week.

　　Cheok said international students like her could act as cultural ambassadors. “We bring stories from China back to Malaysia, and we share our home culture with Chinese friends.“

　　Teo Jin Yu, another Malaysian student at Tianjin University, said, “Platforms like RedNote and TikTok are very popular among young people in Malaysia, and they use these to learn about Chinese culture, food and lifestyles in preparation for future travel.“

　　While such platforms have strengthened Malaysians' understanding of China, Teo said he also tries to introduce Malaysia to more Chinese people.

　　Last year, he participated in the university's international culture festival and displayed traditional Malaysian foods and crafts, such as batik painting, at the Malaysian booth.

　　“Visitors were very interested and supportive, and even when things moved slowly due to the crowd, they waited patiently. This made me feel the warmth and friendliness of China,“ he recalled.

　　Despite the differences between the two countries, Teo said he is impressed by the efficiency of life in China and is attracted to the university's specialization in information management.

　　“The teaching here emphasizes specialization, and every knowledge point is deeply explored, which has solidified my foundation in my field,“ he said.