FAMOUS Chinese actress Datuk Fan Bingbing has been feted with premium Malaysian durian to celebrate the conferment of the Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka (DPSM) by Melaka government, which carries the title “Datuk”.
The star-studded durian party at Dorsett Kuala Lumpur was organised and hosted by Dorsett Hospitality International, led by its vice-chairman Datin Jasmine Heng Abdullah.
Among notable guests were Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif and Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Yasmin Mahmood.
Guests were treated to a variety of premium durian such as Musang King (rich, creamy, bitter aftertaste), Black Thorn (bittersweet, custardy), Red Prawn (sweet, reddish-orange, creamy), D24 (intense, firm) and XO (bitter from fermentation), in addition to other local fruits, supplied by retail and export company Agro Best Services (M) Sdn Bhd.
Jasmine said the programme was in recognition of Fan’s international status and her efforts in helping to promote Melaka and the country, ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026.
“The conferment is significant as it represents global empowerment for female leaders in the hospitality, tourism, economic and creative industry,” she said.
Fan, meanwhile, pledged to continue promoting the historic city to global tourists, adding that she would be in Malaysia frequently.
The Chinese superstar was appointed Melaka’s Tourism Friendship Ambassador in May 2024, which led to a sharp increase in Chinese tourist arrivals and extensive online engagement for the state.
Melaka recorded more than 1.5 billion impressions on China’s popular WeChat platform.
On the ground, Chinese tourist arrivals to Melaka rose sharply from 204,818 in 2023 to 664,687 last year.
The actress, known internationally for her roles in X-Men: Days of Future Past and I Am Not Madame Bovary, joins the ranks of international stars honoured by Malaysia for their contributions to tourism promotion, including Bollywood actor Datuk Shah Rukh Khan and Hong Kong superstar Datuk Jackie Chan.
