Chinese actress Fan Bingbing has been officially bestowed the title of Datuk after receiving the Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka (DPSM), and she is set on making Melaka a must-visit destination for international travellers.
Photo via Instagram (@bingbing_fan)
Speaking at the investiture ceremony, which coincided with the birthday of Melaka Governor Tun Dr Mohd Ali Rustam on August 24, Fan expressed her excitement about the honour. “I will be in Melaka next month to promote tourism and plan to visit frequently,” she shared. The 43-year-old actress described the recognition as deeply meaningful.
Fan now joins the ranks of global stars previously acknowledged for their contributions to Malaysia’s tourism, including Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan and Hong Kong’s Jackie Chan. International audiences know her from films like X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and I Am Not Madame Bovary (2016). Although she stepped back from Chinese productions following a 2018 tax controversy, Fan has been active internationally in recent years.
Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh told The Star that the DPSM award reflects Fan’s role in boosting the city’s global profile. “She has helped catapult the historic city into the global tourism spotlight, and we deeply appreciate her efforts,” he said.
Fan’s role as Melaka’s Tourism Friendship Ambassador, part of the Visit Melaka Year 2024 campaign, has already made waves online. The state has recorded over 1.5 billion click-throughs on China’s WeChat platform, a milestone for Malaysia’s digital tourism presence. On the ground, the impact is equally impressive, with Chinese tourist arrivals soaring from 204,818 in 2023 to 664,687 in 2024.
With her star power and commitment, Fan Bingbing is poised to keep Melaka firmly in the spotlight for global travellers.
