KUALA LUMPUR: China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will bring greater stability to an uncertain global environment while opening fresh opportunities for Malaysia, says China’s ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.
Ouyang, who described 2025 as a “harvest year” for China-Malaysia relations, said the plan would guide China’s economic and social development over the next five years, reinforcing the country’s commitment to high- level opening-up and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
“China develops itself while benefiting the world. The plan charts the course for Chinese modernisation and will continue to generate momentum for global growth,” he said at the New Blueprint, New Horizons briefing on China’s plan yesterday.
China’s 15th Five‑Year Plan recommendations were adopted at a plenary session of the Communist Party of China (CPC) central committee in October.
Ouyang said China has remained a major engine of the global economy, contributing about 30% of worldwide growth in recent years.
Its economic output was expected to reach $140 trillion yuan this year, he said.
Against a backdrop of rising unilateralism and protectionism, he said China would continue to uphold free trade and multilateralism.
“This will inject certainty into an uncertain world,” he said.
On bilateral ties, Ouyang highlighted high-level exchanges, including President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia in April, Premier Li Qiang’s two visits to Malaysia, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent visit to China.
“China is expected to remain Malaysia’s largest trading partner for the 17th consecutive year, with cumulative investment that exceeds US$20.8bil (RM84.82bil),” he said.
He also noted the progress on the East Coast Rail Link, which is nearing 90% completion, and that more than four million Chinese visitors had come to Malaysia in the first 10 months of the year under the visa-free arrangement.
Looking ahead, Ouyang urged for an alignment of the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026-2030) with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and for a full implementation of existing cooperation frameworks under trade, investments and the Belt and Road Initiative.
“China stands ready to support Malaysia in areas such as artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles, digital sovereignty, 5G communications and green technology,” he said.
Wang Junzheng, secretary of CPC’s Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee, highlighted Tibet’s development in his keynote address, as the region marks its 60th anniversary.
He said Tibet’s GDP in 2024 was 155 times that of 1965, while per capita urban income rose more than 120 times, with more than 120,000km of roads besides the expanding of air links.
“We are moving from a geographical highland to a development, ecological and opening-up highland.”
Wang said Tibet was entering a rare strategic development window under the 15th Five-Year Plan and invited Malaysians for a visit.
“Tibet is a place you will want to visit again after your first trip. We welcome Malaysian friends to experience its beauty, culture and development.”
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who as the guest of honour, said the briefing was timely given the global geopolitical shifts and rapid technological change.
“Long-term planning is no longer just an economic roadmap but a strategic instrument to navigate uncertainty and ensure inclusive growth and stability,” he said, adding that Malaysia favours constructive engagement and dialogue to identify areas for cooperation.
Johari welcomed progress in Asean-China relations and said upcoming initiatives such as the Asean-China Plan of Action 2026-2030 and the China-Asean Free Trade Area 3.0 agreement would strengthen economic resilience and regional cooperation.
