Malaysia’s decision to extend its friendship to China with the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974 played a pivotal role in opening up economic, political and cultural ties between the two nations.
This bilateral connection also unlocked a gateway for China to engage with Asean, a regional organisation that had previously been hesitant to fully engage with the communist nation due to Cold War-era political tensions and ideological differences.
Over time, this partnership grew into a robust and mutually beneficial relationship, contributing to regional stability and prosperity.
China has consistently expressed its gratitude, with many of its leaders, on numerous occasions over the past 51 years, describing the relationship with Malaysia as special.
This relationship is a model of how a smaller country could engage with a larger nation, and cooperation can thrive despite differences in size and power.
Malaysia and China celebrated the golden jubilee of their diplomatic relations last year.
Prof Dr Zhai Kun of Peking University’s School of International Studies said from an academic perspective, he viewed Malaysia as a “connective power”.
“Malaysia is neither a middle-ranking nor a small nation. It is a country with very strong connectivity.
“It has the power to connect the world and Malaysia should leverage its role as a nation with key global connectivity attributes.
“For China to connect more effectively with the world, Malaysia’s diversity and its vast connectivity makes this a valuable partnership,” he added.
Nevertheless, Prof Zhai said Malaysia needs a new wave of development momentum to advance.
“While Malaysia has made progress over the decades, it still seems to be trapped in the middle-income status.
“Apart from internal force, it can hinge on cooperation with major external powers.
“Looking at the current situation, China should be among the best potential partners for cooperation,” he said.
Prof Zhai added that the world’s second-largest economy can play a significant role in helping Malaysia break free from its current developmental challenges and reach a higher stage of growth.
Given Malaysia’s significance and its close relationships with Islamic countries, he said the country could, in turn, further help China tap into the lucrative Islamic global market.
Acknowledging that artificial intelligence (AI) is the future, he said both nations share the goal of AI development and global governance.
“AI is being promoted across various levels in China, including global initiatives and under the Belt and Road Initiative framework.
“I think China should take advantage of this visit to Malaysia to engage in more advanced or even top-level strategic cooperation in AI,” he said, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s current tour.
The leading researcher on Asean also said Malaysia, being the Asean chair this year, plays a crucial role in shaping the region’s future direction.
As the world faces shifting geopolitical dynamics and growing competition among major powers, Asean needs a leader with strong leadership to guide the region in navigating these challenges and enhance ties with key global players, said Prof Zhai.
“Malaysia’s role as Asean chair is particularly significant. And I believe the initiatives proposed by (Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim, covering Asean, Asia and even broader cross-regional cooperation, are very creative,” he said.
These initiatives include the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement to establish rules for the region’s digital economy and the Asian Monetary Fund.
“Anwar’s proposal to push for cooperation between Asean, the Gulf Bloc and China is highly actionable,” said Prof Zhai.
“From China’s point of view, South-East Asia and the Middle East are crucial components of China’s global industrial chain, value chain and industrial transfer.
“Once these frameworks are established, China can work together to advance cooperation,” he added.
He said China could take South-East Asia as a hub for broader strategic planning, even extending to larger global spaces.
“Malaysia is one of the more developed and diverse countries in Asean. As both countries continue to deepen their ties, they remain committed to ensuring that their special relationship continues to foster peace and prosperity in the region,” he said.
Asked about areas that need more emphasis, Prof Zhai suggested that both nations could focus on cultural and civilisational exchanges.
“At present, exchanges between the Chinese and Chinese Malaysians are good, but exchanges with Malaysia’s main ethnic group, the Malays, are relatively limited.
“This area of cooperation should be strengthened,” he added.
On May 31, 1974, Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and the then premier of China, Zhou Enlai, signed the joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in Beijing.
The relationship, which has elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, has flourished and borne fruit over the decades.
In 2024, bilateral trade between the two nations reached RM484.12bil, with China continuing to be Malaysia’s largest trading partner for the 16th consecutive year.
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