KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that common initiatives regarding travel bubble and quarantine arrangements could be explored between ASEAN and China to revive the tourism industry and also people-to-people connectivity.

By doing so, he said, each country will be in a much better position to revive from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

Similarly, mutual recognition of vaccination certification documents is another fertile area for collaboration, he added.

He said creative efforts are vital in reinstating people-to-people connectivity as the pandemic has resulted in border tightening, with travelling still being regarded as a high risk activity.

"Thus, it is heartening that ASEAN is actively developing a travel corridor arrangement framework to facilitate cross-border trade and investments, and this, in turn, will set the region on a steady path for economic recovery and growth," he said.

He said this in his virtual address at the 18th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) held in Nanning, China.

The 'travel bubble' is one of three key factors highlighted by Ismail Sabri to be the basis for future ASEAN-China cooperation and in facilitating economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19.

Ismail Sabri said China has been instrumental to ASEAN, particularly being one of the earliest partners to offer assistance during the pandemic.

"I am optimistic that ASEAN and China can continue enhancing and elevating this strategic partnership to a higher level," he said.

-- BERNAMA