Malaysia and China: 50 years of economic ties

A file picture shows Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (left) shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. — AP

CHINESE Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Malaysia this month is the most recent high-level engagement to commemorate a half-a-century diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

Trade lies at the heart of the economic ties. Over the past two decades, bilateral trade has grown more than five-fold and now exceeds US$99bil, making China the largest trading partner of Malaysia for the 15th consecutive year.