CHINA, MALAYSIA CHART BOLD NEW ERA - CGTN

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Bernama) -- China Global Television Network Corporation (CGTN) has reported on a major diplomatic development during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Malaysia, emphasising how Xi has unveiled a long-term blueprint to guide China-Malaysia relations for the next 50 years.

According to CGTN in a statement, the article highlights both nations’ shared commitment to building a high-level strategic community with a shared future—an effort aimed at delivering greater benefits to their citizens and promoting stability and prosperity across the region.

The visit comes a year after the two countries marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. During his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, President Xi proposed a three-point initiative focused on adhering to strategic independence, forging development synergies, and deepening civilisational exchange and mutual learning.

Both leaders voiced opposition to indiscriminate tariffs and emphasised the need for regional cooperation to resist supply chain disruptions. Xi advocated for Asian values such as openness, inclusiveness, and peaceful cooperation to counter global instability, while Anwar reiterated ASEAN’s refusal to support any unilaterally imposed tariffs.

Xi also underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the digital, green, and blue economies, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), and the integrated development of the industrial chain, supply chain, value chain, data chain and talent chain.

In an article published in Malaysian media, Xi noted that China-Malaysia trade reached US$212 billion in 2024—nearly 1,000 times higher than when diplomatic relations began. China has maintained its position as Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, while Malaysia remains China's second-largest trading partner and the largest source of imports within ASEAN. (US$1=RM4.39)

Malaysia has also played a key role in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), signing on in 2017 and benefitting from projects such as the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" programme and the East Coast Rail Link. Following their latest talks, Xi and Anwar oversaw the signing of over 30 cooperation agreements spanning AI, infrastructure and agriculture.

Cultural ties have grown alongside economic ones. In 2024, the number of mutual visits reached six million, exceeding pre-pandemic figures—thanks in large part to a mutual visa exemption policy introduced on Dec 1, 2023. China has extended this policy through 2025, and Malaysia plans to continue it through 2026.

Xi encouraged both countries to leverage the visa policy to promote deeper collaboration in tourism, youth engagement, education, sports, and media. The two nations have also renewed joint efforts in panda conservation and agreed to co-nominate the traditional "Lion Dance" for UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In a sign of growing cultural resonance, the Chinese film "Ne Zha 2" premiered in Malaysia last month and set new box office records for Chinese cinema in the country. A recent CGTN poll revealed strong mutual goodwill, with 83.6 per cent of Malaysian respondents holding a positive view of China and 83.8 per cent expressing interest in visiting or studying there.

-- BERNAMA