50 years on, China, Malaysia to bring community with shared future to new level

A woman shows stamps marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 31, 2024. [Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua]

China and Malaysia are neighbors with a millennium-old friendship, friends connected by heart, and partners for win-win cooperation. Under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, economic and trade cooperation has achieved fruitful results.

BEIJING/KUALA LUMPUR -- At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar paid his first state visit to China from Sept. 19 to 22.

During talks with King Sultan Ibrahim, Xi said that the two sides should deepen mutual learning between the Chinese and Islamic civilizations, strengthen cooperation in higher education, joint scientific research and other fields, and enhance mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples.

Xi also pledged to work with Malaysia to bring the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future to a new level.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties, the two countries will build on past achievements to jointly usher in a new era in bilateral cooperation.

EVER-LASTING FRIENDSHIP

China and Malaysia are neighbors with a millennium-old friendship, friends connected by heart, and partners for win-win cooperation, with vibrant cultural exchanges serving as a bridge between the two nations.

On Sunday in the presence of hundreds of guests from both countries in Beijing, the Malaysian King participated in a ceremony renaming Malay Studies Chair of the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) to Sultan lbrahim Chair of Malay Studies.

The renaming of the Chair by the King highlights the importance both countries place on educational exchanges and cooperation, said Su Yingying, dean of the School of Asian Studies at BFSU.

"We all hope to promote in-depth collaboration between China and Malaysia in various fields, including culture and trade, through the cultivation of professional language skills and research talent," Su said.

A visitor takes photos of exhibits at a photo exhibition on China-Malaysia relations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 19, 2024. [Xinhua/Zhu Wei]

This year marks the Year of China-Malaysia Friendship. Earlier this year, Xi exchanged congratulatory messages with King Sultan Ibrahim on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Xi recalled that he recently received a jointly-signed letter from Malaysian students studying at Tianjin University in China, who have made it their goal to disseminate and promote China-Malaysia friendship and look forward to using their knowledge to serve the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future. Xi said he is pleased to see that the cause of friendship between the two countries will be carried on over generations.

Xi's remarks have greatly inspired those Malaysian students in China.

One of the authors of the joint letter, Tan Pei Wei, a senior at the School of Life Science at Tianjin University, expressed her hope that the closer high-level exchanges between the two countries would create more opportunities for their economic cooperation and more development opportunities for young people.

Cheok Xuan Yu, a Malaysian student and also one of the authors of the joint letter, said, "I want to do my best to be a grassroots ambassador for exchanges between China and Malaysia and hope to contribute to the economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries in the future."

"I aspire to be a promoter and advocate of China-Malaysia friendship," said Foong Yan Lin, another Malaysian student in China.

STRATEGIC COOPERATION FOR MODERNIZATION

Near Kuantan in Pahang state, Malaysia, a newly laid railway track runs along the coast into the distance. On the hillside, two prominent lines in Chinese and Malay read, "Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits for a Better Future."

Local residents expressed their hope that the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) will accelerate local development.

This photo shows the launching site of the East Coast Rail Link project in Kuantan, Malaysia on Dec. 11, 2023. [Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua]

The Malaysian mega rail project is being built by China Communications Construction Company. The rail link is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the country by linking its less-developed region on the east coast to the economic heartland on the west coast.

"I'm confident that the ECRL project will be completed on schedule, and I'm also confident about my future," 25-year-old Azril Hakim told Xinhua.

After graduating with a degree in civil engineering from Universiti Malaysia Pahang in 2022, Azril joined the ECRL project through the China-Malaysia railway talent training cooperation program, which aims to train 5,000 skilled railway construction and operation professionals in Malaysia.

With the help and guidance of his Chinese colleagues, the Malaysian young man has grown rapidly and received the Best Employee Award for the project in 2023. "This project has not only helped me learn and grow but has also allowed me to contribute to my country's infrastructure development," he said.

The ECRL is one of the flagship projects of China-Malaysia high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Located in Kuantan city, the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) is also a key Belt and Road cooperation project.

The MCKIP, together with the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park situated in China, has set an innovative example of bilateral economic cooperation under the model of "Two Countries, Twin Parks."

This photo taken on June 13, 2024 shows a symbol cornerstone of the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) in Pahang state of Malaysia. [Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng]

In 2014, Xi called for the two countries to build the two industrial parks as flagship projects for China-Malaysia cooperation and models for China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) cooperation.

To achieve this goal, China and Malaysia have been deepening and solidifying industrial cooperation.

Qinzhou Port and Kuantan Port have fostered a sister port relationship, providing mutual support for logistics and transportation between the two countries. The MCKIP, covering a total area of 12 square km, has completed land development of approximately 10 square km, with 13 projects still underway.

Under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, economic and trade cooperation has achieved fruitful results.

China and Malaysia should deepen strategic cooperation in each other's modernization process and push the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future to a new level, Xi said during talks with King Sultan Ibrahim in Beijing on Friday.

For his part, the King said Malaysia is committed to developing a strong partnership with China.

NEXT GLORIOUS 50 YEARS

Volunteers from China State Construction Engineering Corporation have lately teamed up with a Malaysian non-governmental organization to install a solar lighting system for an indigenous village in Perak state.

The remote village is a five-hour drive away from Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur through muddy and winding mountain roads. The village chief, Najib Arang, told Xinhua that due to a lack of lighting facilities, the village was shrouded in darkness as night fell.

Now the "Light Up the Mountains" campaign brings light and hope. When the first light brought by the solar power system illuminated the village's night, the villagers were laughing with excited cheers, bringing out prepared sweets to gather together and enjoy their evening leisure time.

"With electricity, our lives will improve significantly, and our village will become more beautiful," Najib said with a beaming smile.

Traveling further north from Perak, in Kuala Ketil, a small town in southern Kedah state, stands a 260-acre photovoltaic power station, with tens of thousands of photovoltaic panels installed.

Operated by Edra Power Holdings, a subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Corporation, the power plant began commercial operation in 2019 and provides clean energy for local economic development and improves people's well-being.

From the small solar lighting facilities in an indigenous village to the large-scale modern photovoltaic power station, these initiatives represent a microcosm of the Sino-Malaysian cooperation in green energy to promote sustainable development.

Seizing the opportunities presented by new quality productive forces, China and Malaysia have been strengthening their cooperation in emerging fields such as green development, new energy and digital economy.

In recent years, Chinese automotive manufacturers such as Geely, BYD, Chery, and Great Wall Motor have entered Malaysia's new energy vehicle market, bringing new driving experiences to Malaysian people and creating jobs.

Chinese telecom giants like Huawei and ZTE have engaged in deep cooperation with local firms, helping Malaysia become a digital economy hub in Southeast Asia.

"The bilateral relationship between Malaysia and China is currently at its best," Dato' Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association and former Malaysian ambassador to China, told Xinhua.

He also voiced confidence that under the guidance of their leaders, the two countries will step up the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future to achieve new results and jointly create the "next glorious 50 years" in their relationship.