BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Brunei has identified tourists from China as a key target market for 2025, a senior Brunei government official said on Thursday.

China is Brunei's second-largest tourism source market, accounting for over 15.5 percent of the country's total air arrivals, said Hajah Tutiaty Abdul Wahab, permanent secretary at Brunei's Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, while speaking at the workshop on Chinese Language and Capacity Building for ASEAN member states' tourism professionals near the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

Hajah Tutiaty said as of August 2025, Brunei had received 28,714 Chinese tourists. The majority of Chinese travelers visited Brunei for holidays, to see friends or relatives, or for business purposes.

This positive trend, she said, has been further reinforced by the implementation of a visa waiver for all Chinese nationals, allowing stays of up to 14 days, since March 2025.

She said the initiative not only enhanced Brunei's accessibility for Chinese travelers but also strengthened bilateral ties, paving the way for greater cultural and economic exchange.

The workshop was jointly organized by the ASEAN-China Center and Brunei's Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism. ■