Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak (left) and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai signed a joint communiqué on May 31, 1974 to establish diplomatic ties between the two countries. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is committed to nurturing the country’s “vital” relationship with China, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a statement marking the golden jubilee of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said Malaysia and China reshaped the landscape of Asian geopolitics by establishing diplomatic relations on May 31, 1974, making Malaysia the first non-socialist country in Southeast Asia to formalise ties with China.
“Despite the apparent reasons for refrain – our ideological chasm, our seemingly irreconcilable differences – our leaders dared to think beyond convention and took a bold leap of faith,” he said.
“This audacious move has blossomed into a rich and fruitful partnership.
“The Madani government is committed to nurturing this vital relationship for the prosperity of our peoples and the entire region.”
He added that he is looking forward to Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s upcoming official visit as the two countries celebrate the “historic milestone” of 50 years of diplomatic ties.
China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years.
Malaysia’s trade with China stood at RM450.84 billion in 2023, with imports making up RM258.63 billion of the sum.
During a visit to China in April 2023, Anwar said Chinese firms pledged around RM170 billion in investments in Malaysia and signed 19 memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
This was followed by commitments of RM19.84 billion in September 2023.
