AsianFin -- Jin Jiang International Hotels, the world’s second-largest hotel group by property count, has signed a landmark agreement with Malaysia’s Riyaz group as it accelerates expansion across Southeast Asia.

The Shanghai-based company announced today that its Jin Jiang Hotels China unit has entered into a management license agreement with RJJ Hotels, a subsidiary of Riyaz. The deal grants RJJ the rights to operate five of Jin Jiang’s hotel management brands, with both companies targeting 150 new hotels over the next five years.

At the signing ceremony, RJJ Hotels also sealed 11 additional contracts and preliminary agreements with Southeast Asian hotel operators and investors, underscoring the region’s growth potential.

The first project under the partnership will be a Metropolo-branded hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos, slated to open early next year. Beyond the Riyaz tie-up, Jin Jiang plans to independently roll out new properties, with a goal of managing over 500 hotels across Southeast Asia within five years.