KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysia prepares to roll out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit on Tuesday (April 15), hopes are high that the trip will further deepen bilateral ties and boost high-value investment and technological cooperation.
Principal Adviser at the Pacific Research Centre of Malaysia, Dr Oh Ei Sun, said many have long anticipated President Xi's visit - his first trip to the country since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took office in 2022.
"Malaysia and China's bilateral relationship has been very strong. However, there remain areas of cooperation that can be further broadened and deepened.
"With President Xi's visit, we hope to see more high-tech and high-value-added investments from China - such as establishing factories here that can create new jobs for Malaysians. Hopefully, this will also lead to technology transfer," he told Bernama on Sunday (April 14).
Xi will begin a three-day state visit to Malaysia on Tuesday, at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia. This is Xi's second official trip to the country in 12 years, following his last visit in 2013.
The Chinese leader will meet with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim and hold talks with Anwar.
Oh expressed hope that new infrastructure initiatives such as the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project would help maintain strong connectivity between the two countries.
"As the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project nears completion, we can look forward to new initiatives, such as the HSR project.
"China could offer soft loans and take part in building the HSR. I believe efforts like these would sustain the momentum and keep the two countries closely connected," he opined.
He also proposed that Malaysia and China work together to address non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to further enhance market access.
"Trade between Malaysia and China is already substantial, but it could grow even more if we removed NTBs - such as those affecting durian exports and bird's nests.
"Malaysia and China are both members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), so such barriers shouldn't exist, but they still do. "I believe we can do a better job of addressing this, and if we do, our trading volume will increase significantly," he said.
Meanwhile, Oh highlighted the importance of fostering stronger people-to-people ties as a foundation for long-term cooperation between Malaysia and China, especially in education, business, and technology.
"I believe the true strength lies in what we call people-to-people bonds or ties. For example, if more students study at each other's universities, it will naturally become easier in the future to collaborate in areas such as business and technology.
"This is because they will better understand one another's cultures. In my view, that remains a key element," he said.
Malaysia and China celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties last year, marking a significant milestone in their bilateral friendship.
Malaysia and China established diplomatic relations on May 31, 1974, and elevated ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2013. Since then, bilateral relations have continued to strengthen.
China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. Total trade between the two nations reached US$106.04bil (RM484.12bil) in 2024, accounting for 16.8% of Malaysia's global trade. – Bernama
