China and Malaysia on Thursday agreed to promote the early adoption of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea by the end of 2021, along with other ASEAN countries, as a joint effort to stabilize the region. 

This came after a meeting between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Malaysian counterpart Saifuddin Abdullah in Beijing.

Both sides also agreed to establish a bilateral consultation mechanism on maritime issues, using it as a dialogue platform to manage differences and promote maritime cooperation and regional stability in the South China Sea. 

"The COC, built and enhanced upon the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), is an important undertaking for China and ASEAN countries to ensure rule-based governance of the water body," Wang noted, adding that tensions in the region had dropped this year due to joint efforts of all relevant sides. 

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During the meeting, Wang hailed the sound momentum of China-Malaysia relations, saying that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties and China is ready to push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era.  

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promote China-ASEAN industrial, trade and other pragmatic collaborations under the Belt and Road framework, jointly building the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" as a flagship project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a passage connecting western Chinese provinces and ASEAN countries.

Wang also called on China and Malaysia to strengthen cultural understanding and people-to-people exchanges in the upcoming Malaysia-China Cultural Tourism Year 2020, consolidating mutual trust and supporting each other on issues of core interests. 

Amid rising global challenges, Wang stressed that China, Malaysia and other ASEAN countries should stay together and jointly combat prevailing protectionism and unilateralism by firmly adhering to the existing international order and multilateral trading system. 

Saifuddin, for his part, said that Malaysia-China relations enjoy a long history and transcends trade and business ties. Malaysia is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road development and expand maritime cooperation with China and regional countries to promote the consultations on the COC, he noted.

(CGTN's Sun Tianyuan also contributed to the story.)