Chinese Muslims looking to join the armed group Islamic State end up in Iraq and Syria through Malaysia, the country's minister of home affairs announced on Thursday.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Meng Hongwei, China's public security deputy minister, briefed Zahid on the security threat at the home ministry in Putrajaya on Thursday , state news agency Bernama reported.

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The minister said he was told around 300 Chinese citizens passed through Malaysia on a mission to combine forces with Islamic State. From Malaysia, they travel to a third country before going to Iraq and Syria.

Zahid said Beijing and Kuala Lumpur had taken the security threat seriously and they were placing more stringent measures to end the flow of Islamic State followers, Bernama reported.  The minister had been quoted as saying, there may be international ties between terrorists in southeast Asia and those in China.

He did clarify Chinese security officials did not say if the 300 Islamic State sympathizers had ties with Malaysian citizens or groups.

Zahid also announced the visa-free entry for Chinese citizens may be extended to tourists from other countries coming from China.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Wednesday that tourists traveling from China, regardless of nationality, would be granted free visas to boost tourism and Malaysia's economy.

Chinese tourists traveling to Malaysia are still required to seek a visa first but they are spared from paying an 80 yuan (US$13) fee.

Bernama quoted Zahid as saying the formal advisory on the visa-free arrangement would be made after Malaysian immigration officials ironed out all the details. He said the announcement will be made at the Malaysian embassy and consulates in China.