By Mao Pengfei

During Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar's state visit to China in September 2024, Malaysia showcased two premium durian varieties - Musang King and Black Thorn - to Chinese consumers.

The relationship between the Chinese people and Southeast Asian durians has a long history. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Ma Huan, a Chinese explorer and translator who accompanied Admiral Zheng He on his overseas voyages, recorded that a fruit called "du'er yan" had a strong odor but deliciously sweet flesh.

Ancient descriptions align closely with modern consumers' experiences. While some Chinese tourists are initially wary of durian's pungent aroma, many quickly become fans after tasting it at Malaysian durian stalls, discovering the allure of the "Kingdom of Durian." My father is one of them.

Nowadays, durian has become a symbol of Malaysia for many Chinese, injecting new energy into bilateral trade, tourism and cultural exchanges, as well as friendship between the two peoples.

A Flavorful Bond

Is durian fragrant or foul-smelling? Do social media tips on picking durian lead to the best outcome? Is a slight bitterness a sign of high quality? D24, D101, D175, D197, D200 ... These seemingly cryptic numbers are actually the keys to unlocking the "Kingdom of Durian."

Malaysia is recognized as one of the original places for durian, which comes in various flavors. Malaysian durians are usually categorized by number, with over 200 registered varieties.

Influencers and tourist videos on choosing a good durian are popular on Chinese social media platforms.

Enthusiasts can describe each variety's appearance, texture, moisture and sweetness in great detail. For example, D175, known as "Red Prawn," has a reddish hue and smooth texture. The "XO" variety is a subtype of D24 "Sultan," featuring soft flesh, a mild sweetness with a slight numbing sensation and a hint of alcohol. The famous D197, Musang King, is characterized by its small seeds, abundant flesh, bright yellow color, creamy texture and rich layers of sweetness and bitterness.

Durian's "blind box" appeal is one of the reasons enthusiasts find it so thrilling. Durians of similar weight and shape can have vastly different amounts of flesh and flavors inside. Picking a durian filled with five chambers of fruit brings joy, while an inexperienced selection may result in disappointment - one with large seeds, little flesh and bland taste. The unpredictability adds to the fun of durian tasting.

In recent years, durian has taken China by storm, and Musang King has become an Internet buzzword related to Malaysia. Durian-based products like candy, mooncakes and ice cream have become bestsellers. Livestreaming sessions of durian openings attract millions of viewers. The arrival of Malaysia's first batch of fresh durians in China in August 2024 was a trending topic in Chinese media.

Since December 2023, when China and Malaysia implemented mutual visa-free entry policies, durian tasting has become a must-do activity for Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia.

A small street called SS2 on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, famous for its durian stalls, has become a viral tourist hotspot, earning the nickname "Durian Street" among Chinese visitors.

Durian sales there have surged since last year. Many stalls have added Chinese labels to their price lists and product descriptions. Tips on drinking and washing your hands with water from durian shells to remove the fruit's strong odor from the body have become popular tricks shared by Chinese social media influencers. Durian-related desserts and souvenirs have also entered the shopping lists of Chinese tourists.

Ng Chin Long, deputy secretary-general of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, is a durian connoisseur. He told me something intriguing during a durian buffet at an orchard in Bentong, Pahang State. "If you meet a new Malaysian friend, talking about durian is the fastest way to bond. If they invite you to a durian orchard, you should definitely go - sharing durian in an orchard is the beginning of a deeper friendship."

A Promising Business

Durian is China's top fruit import. Data from China Customs show that in 2024, China imported about 1.56 million tons of durian with a total value of 6.99 billion U.S. dollars, setting a record. The volume and value increased by 9.4 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization describes durian as "a key tropical fruit commodity in South-South trade." Its Durian Global Trade Overview 2023 showed that the global exports of durian expanded from approximately 80,000 tonnes in 2003 to around 870,000 tonnes in 2022. As a leading importer of durian, China procures about 95 percent of the global exports, serving as the key driver of the industry's rapid growth in Southeast Asia.

Malaysia began exporting frozen durian products to China in 2011 and whole frozen durians in 2019. Despite the fame of Musang King and Black Thorn, traditional harvesting methods - where durians naturally drop from trees when ripe - along with limited liquid nitrogen freezing facilities have constrained Malaysia's ability to export durians to China.

The signing of the phytosanitary protocol in June 2024, which allows fresh Malaysian durians to be exported to China, has provided a much-needed boost to the Southeast Asian country's durian industry.

After the protocol was signed, I met several times with Edwyn Chiang, secretary-general of the Malaysia International Durian Industry Development Association. He is quite optimistic about the upcoming durian season, which starts in May.

He explained that Malaysian durians drop to the ground when fully ripe, which enhances their aroma and delivers the best flavor within two to three days.

The successful launch of air shipment routes for fresh durians to China last year marked a major logistical breakthrough for Malaysia's durian industry. Today, Chinese consumers can enjoy fresh Malaysian durians within a mere 36 hours of harvesting. "I believe that this year, Malaysian fresh durians will reach even more Chinese dining tables," he added.

Malaysia's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu called on durian farmers to start preparing for exports to China, emphasizing that durian export is a high-value business and could help raise the income of local entrepreneurs.

Malaysia currently has about 90,000 hectares of durian plantations, with an annual production of 500,000 to 550,000 tons. The durian industry has become a "star" driver of the country's economic growth, especially for rural areas as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The "King of Fruits" not only creates new opportunities for economic cooperation between China and Malaysia but also strengthens the bond between their people with its unique flavor.

-- BERNAMA

Mao Pengfei is the Bureau Chief of Xinhua News Agency Kuala Lumpur Bureau.