China and Malaysia have pledged to strengthen their partnership and work together to promote prosperity and stability in the region. The announcement came during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia, where both countries released a joint statement outlining their plans.
Strengthening Strategic Partnership
The two nations agreed to enhance their strategic coordination and deepen development synergy. They aim to tighten people-to-people bonds, maintain peace in the South China Sea, strengthen regional cooperation, and engage in multilateral initiatives.
Focus on Key Economic Areas
Focusing on the digital, green, blue, and tourism economies, China and Malaysia plan to expand their future economic cooperation. They intend to promote integrated and complementary development, achieving deep integration of industrial, supply, value, data, and talent chains to improve the level and quality of cooperation between them.
Malaysia welcomed Chinese enterprises to participate in building its 5G network. Both sides are looking forward to exploring potential cooperation in the semiconductor industry to maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains.
Enhancing People-to-People Bonds
To strengthen cultural ties, the two countries pledged to continue joint research on panda protection, expecting to achieve more progress in this field.
Promoting Peace in the South China Sea
China and Malaysia agreed to resolve disputes in the South China Sea through peaceful means, friendly consultations, and negotiations. They recognized that involving parties not directly concerned could be counterproductive to maintaining peace and stability in the area.
Commitment to Globalization
The two nations vowed to promote inclusive economic globalization and advance trade and investment facilitation. They rejected unilateral trade restrictive measures that are inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Both countries are committed to upholding a fair and transparent multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.
China welcomed Malaysia as a partner country in the BRICS grouping and expressed willingness to support Malaysia’s integration into BRICS cooperation. Malaysia, in turn, welcomed China’s application to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Support for ASEAN
As Malaysia assumes the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, China pledged firm support for ASEAN. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to uphold ASEAN centrality and strengthen ASEAN-led mechanisms to promote an open, inclusive, peaceful, and stable regional architecture conducive to development and prosperity.
Malaysia also supports China in hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2026 and supports Hong Kong’s accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Shared Vision for the Future
China and Malaysia emphasized that in an evolving international landscape, no country can remain unaffected. They acknowledged the trend toward a shared future for the international community, emphasizing that win-win cooperation is the right path forward. Both countries committed to working together to meet global challenges and contribute to building an equal and orderly multipolar world.
