BEIJING – China and Malaysia are looking to strengthen collaboration through new strategic partnerships after President Xi Jinping visited Malaysia.
President XI met with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, and proposed a three-point plan to build a high-level strategic Chinese and Malaysian community with a common future.
XI called for China and Malaysia to adhere to strategic independence and implement high levels of strategic coordination. Additionally, he urged both sides to build synergistic developments and set up a model of high-quality development cooperation. Finally, the Chinese President said that both countries should take over the friendship between generations and generations, and deepen exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations.
Xi has witnessed the exchange of more than 30 agreements with the Malaysian Prime Minister, ranging from trade and tourism to rail transport and agriculture.
He also called on Asian countries to unite in resisting geopolitical conflict, unilateralism and protectionism, in the wake of the US trade war between China and dozens of other countries.
The Malaysian Prime Minister described XI as a “true friend” and expressed his country’s commitment to working with China in a variety of areas, including emerging technologies such as economy, trade and AI.
The Chinese President also spoke with Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar. During the meeting, President XI described China and Malaysia as good neighbors, good friends and good partners who visit each other as often as their families. He added that after a grand half-century of bilateral relations, he embraces an even brighter future.
He called for joint efforts to promote the global Southern pursuit of solidarity-led collective progress and common development.
The Chinese president arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday. On the same day, he published a signed article in three Malaysian newspapers entitled “China-Malaysian Friendship Ships Sailing towards an Even brighter Future.”
The article stated that China and Malaysia must work together to give new momentum to their friendship as they have passed through the rivers of long history, ensuring that it will steadily advance towards a brighter perspective.
Malaysia is the second stop on a tour of XI in three Southeast Asian countries that began on Monday. He will arrive in Kuala Lumpur from Vietnam and depart for Cambodia on Thursday.
China-Malaysia’s partnership has increased significantly. For the 16th consecutive year, China has been Malaysia’s most important trading partner, with trade volume reaching a high of $21.204 billion in 2024.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jiang said on Friday that President Xi Jinping’s visit to Malaysia would mark an important milestone in fostering an upgrade of relations between the two countries.