THE state visit of the President of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Xi Jinping, on April 15 marked the beginning of a new and meaningful chapter in the history of Malaysia-China relations, reflecting the close bilateral ties that have been rooted for more than five decades.
The last time he set foot on Malaysian soil was in 2013. After 12 years, His Excellency Xi returned at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, further affirming Malaysia’s standing as a respected strategic partner among global powers.
His Excellency Xi’s visit reflects the strength of the relationship that was established in 1974 through the bold steps of the then prime minister of Malaysia the late Tun Abdul Razak. Amid the tensions of the Cold War, Tun Abdul Razak chose the path of peace and pragmatism – opening a new chapter of diplomacy with China, transcending ideological lines for mutual benefit.
This decision became a symbol of Malaysia’s neutral policy – free, open, and principled. It planted the seeds of friendship that have now grown into a strong tree with roots spreading across all sectors of national development.
Alhamdulillah, this visit yielded extraordinary results with the signing of 31 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) spanning fields from infrastructure development and new technology to cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation.
More excitingly, cross-border cooperation through the MOU on the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” initiative is expected to pave the way for high-impact investments, further enhanced by cooperation in the railway and AI sectors, placing Malaysia on a solid footing to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
As the chairman of the National TVET Council, I see cooperation in the digital economy and the establishment of joint new technology laboratories as a very important strategic step to accelerate human capital development and empower technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
I am determined to drive this effort forward because I believe it is a long-term investment for Malaysia’s future – building a skilled workforce, strengthening the competitiveness of local industries and providing direct benefits to the people.
We envision Malaysia-China trade relations to continue making history, as proven for 16 consecutive years since 2009 that China has become Malaysia’s largest trading partner.
Despite our modest size, Malaysia continues to command strategic relevance in the region, a testament to our consistency and trustworthiness as a partner.
In 2024 alone, the total trade between the two countries reached RM484.12bil, accounting for 16.8% of the country’s total global trade.
However, this success did not come without challenges. When the world was stunned by the announcement of new tariff policies by the United States, that threatened the stability of global supply chains, Malaysia took a firm stance – rejecting any form of retaliation, instead calling for an approach based on negotiation and constructive cooperation.
Malaysia believes that the world cannot be built on harmful competition. Instead, we must forge cooperation based on mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual unity. That is Malaysia’s principle – negotiating, not retaliating; opening doors, not erecting walls that isolate and diminish global cooperation.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the legacy of close Malaysia-China relations continues, reflecting the commitment of the Madani Government in advocating a principled, progressive foreign policy centred on unity and the well-being of the people.
His Excellency Xi’s visit, in this spirit, is tangible proof of Malaysia’s consistent openness policy. Malaysia does not choose to compete, but to share – not only in the economy but also in the responsibility of building a balanced, fairer and more prosperous future for the entire world.
May this visit be the curtain-raiser to another golden era of Malaysia-China relations – a period of 50 more glorious years, rooted in sincerity, and bearing the fruits of prosperity for future generations.
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Rural and Regional Development Minister.
The views expressed are entirely his own.
