2024 is the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia and also marks the 11th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Over the past half a century, China and Malaysia have always treated each other with sincerity, supported each other in solidarity, and sought development together. This mutual respect and trust have consistently placed China-Malaysia relations at the forefront of regional cooperation.
The past 50 years have seen China and Malaysia reinforcing mutual trust and assistance. High-level exchanges have become increasingly frequent, which provide a solid foundation for expanding and deepening institutional cooperation in governmental organizations, legislative branches and political parties.
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a historic visit to Malaysia in 2013, which resulted in the elevation of China-Malaysia relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Last year, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited China twice and reached an important consensus with President Xi on jointly building the China-Malaysia community with a shared future, drawing the blueprint for China-Malaysia relations in the new era.
On the South China Sea issue, the Malaysian prime minister has called for "aggressive" diplomatic engagement to resolve disputes, rejecting interference of external parties. Reiterating that the issue must be resolved among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries and China, he said earlier this month, "There should not be involvement with other parties because it will be deemed to be more complex and will complicate the matter."
"Time has changed many things, yet it does not change the good will and commitments China and Malaysia have had to the other. With genuine respect and trust to each other, and always ready to help in times of need and difficulty, China and Malaysia have had an extraordinary diplomatic journey together. All these years, the China-Malaysia relations are at the forefront of China's relations with ASEAN countries," Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said on May 31, the 50th anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic relations.
The past 50 years have seen China and Malaysia make achievements in various fields. Bilateral trade volume has grown from less than $200 million in 1974 to $190.24 billion in 2023, an increase of 950 times. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years and Malaysia has long been China's second largest ASEAN-country trading partner.
Besides, China is a longstanding investor in Malaysia and Malaysia is China's largest ASEAN-country import source. The first quarter of this year saw bilateral trade hitting $47.08 billion and non-financial direct investment $723 million, rising by 6.5 percent and 116 percent respectively year on year.
Signature projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), such as the East Coast Railway Link and the Malaysia-China "Two Countries, Twin Parks," have significantly strengthened regional connectivity and economic integration between China, Malaysia and ASEAN. "The Belt and Road Initiative has elevated our partnership," said Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, former Malaysian ambassador to China, highlighting the transformative impact of these projects.
Malaysia has also attracted substantial investment from China in solar module manufacturing, electric vehicles and the digital economy. Cooperation with China in those fields is crucial, Majid noted.
The past 50 years have seen China and Malaysia tightening people-to-people bonds. Exchanges are extensively conducted in various fields including but not limited to local affairs, science and education, tourism and culture. The recent visa-free travel waiver has significantly boosted people-to-people exchanges. "We are positive about reaching over 5 million tourists from China," said Tourism Malaysia Director-General Manoharan Periasamy in April.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is set to pay an official visit to Malaysia, which is the third leg of a three-nation tour from June 13 to 20. He arrived in Australia on Saturday, the second stop of the tour after New Zealand.
During his visit, Premier Li is scheduled to meet and hold talks with Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Prime Minister Anwar, and attend a celebration of the 50th anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties with Anwar, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
China looks forward to taking this visit as an opportunity to carry forward the traditional friendship with Malaysia, deepen and expand cooperation in various fields, push forward the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, and work together to usher in an even more brilliant next 50 years of China-Malaysia relations, Lin added.
(Cover: A view of the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park in Qinzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, November 26, 2023. /CFP)