By Ouyang Yujing
China and Malaysia are neighbors with a millennia-old friendship, friends connected by heart, and partners for win-win cooperation. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1974, the two countries have enjoyed amicable relations and mutual support, setting a model for mutually beneficial cooperation among countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Malaysia, which comes roughly 12 years after his previous visit, marking a major milestone in China-Malaysia relations.
Head-of-state diplomacy has long charted the course for China-Malaysia relations.
In 2013, during President Xi’s visit to Malaysia, the two countries upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, a milestone in bilateral relations.
Ten years later, President Xi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reached important consensus on jointly building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, ushering in a new historical stage in bilateral ties.
In 2024, as the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, President Xi held talks with Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and met with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Beijing. The two sides reached a series of important consensuses on deepening bilateral relations.
Under the strategic guidance of the leaders from both countries, China and Malaysia have firmly supported each other on issues of core interests and major concerns. The two nations have deepened and fortified the China-Malaysia community with a shared future.
Economic and trade cooperation has injected strong momentum into bilateral ties.
In 2024, China-Malaysia bilateral trade hit a record high of $212.04 billion, an 11.4 percent increase from the previous year. China has remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years and a major source of foreign investment. Malaysia is China’s second-largest trading partner and largest source of imports in ASEAN.
Pragmatic cooperation between the two sides continues to thrive: the East Coast Rail Link, a flagship project of China-Malaysia high-quality Belt and Road cooperation that connects the east and west coast of Malaysia, is set to drive coordinated economic development in Malaysia; the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” project continues to upgrade in quality; and Chinese carmaker Geely’s partnership with Malaysian automaker Proton is yielding win-win outcomes.
In recent years, the two countries have expanded their cooperation in technology and innovation, tapping into emerging sectors such as the digital economy, green development, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and new energy vehicles. These partnerships are not only knitting their industrial and supply chains more closely together, but also charting a shared course toward modernization.
People-to-people exchanges have laid a solid foundation for bilateral relations.
The historical and cultural ties between China and Malaysia stretch back centuries. From the 15th-century voyages of famous Chinese navigator Zheng He – who docked in Malacca five times – to the modern-day journeys of Chinese immigrants who took root in Southeast Asia, the relationship has long been marked by profound cultural exchanges.
These mutual journeys have brought fresh vitality to bilateral relations. In 2024, thanks to the mutual visa exemption policy, the number of Chinese visitors to Malaysia exceeded 3.8 million, more than double that of 2023, with over 500 flights operating between the two countries each week. Meanwhile, China has become a top destination for Malaysian tourists, with public opinion polls indicating that 77 percent of Malaysian respondents view China positively.
Malaysia’s fresh durians, especially the beloved Musang King variety, have found new popularity in China following their approval for export last year. Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 has become a box office sensation in Malaysia following its release.
The two sides are also deepening exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese and Islamic civilizations, enhancing mutual understanding and shared development.
Malaysia holds the rotating chair of ASEAN this year. Facing the complex and challenging international situation, China looks forward to working with Malaysia to write a new chapter of solidarity and cooperation, safeguard the common interests of the Global South, and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity.
As the Chinese saying goes, “When the tide is right and the wind is favorable, it’s time to set sail.” President Xi’s visit is bound to deepen strategic cooperation between the two nations as they pursue modernization, bring the China-Malaysia community with a shared future to new heights, and steer bilateral ties toward an even brighter future.
(Ouyang Yujing is the Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia.)
