China and Malaysia's total trade volume reached over 98 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, making China the Southeast Asian country's largest trading partner for the 15th consecutive year, lending to already flourishing ties between the two countries as they celebrate 50 years of friendship this year.

To mark the occasion, a reporter from Malaysia's state broadcaster Bernama, Nor Liyana Zulkifli, visited the Chinese province of Fujian, while CGTN's reporter Chen Tong traveled to Malaysia to put together a special series.

In the first episode, we find out where trade between the two sides began almost 600 years ago, and what it has developed into today.