Malaysia-China Relations At An All-time High, Says Bernama Chairman

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Bernama) -- Relations between Malaysia and China have reached an all-time high, driven by deepening diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people ties, said Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, Chairman of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).

He attributed this to China’s openness in facilitating travel, particularly its visa-free entry for Malaysian tourists, which has "encouraged more Malaysians to visit China and strengthened people-to-people ties."

"The relationship between Malaysia and China is at its all-time high. Over the last 60 years of Malaysian history, this relationship is at its best, and it is not just at the government-to-government level, but also the people-to-people level,” he said in an interview with Xinhua.

Wong said Malaysia is keen to further strengthen its cooperation with China in the digital economy, green economy, infrastructure development, and artificial intelligence to enhance trade, investment, and technological collaboration.

“China has made tremendous strides in AI, and we definitely want to benefit from this progress,' he said.

On the economic front, Wong underscored Malaysia’s substantial gains from its strong partnership with China, citing infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and advancements in the automotive sector.

"Malaysia is about to complete the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a result of Malaysia-China cooperation under the BRI," he noted.

He also pointed to Malaysia’s first domestically produced electric vehicle, developed through collaboration with Chinese automakers, as an example of how bilateral cooperation continues to yield tangible benefits.

"This would not have been possible without the strong relationship and understanding between Malaysia and China," he said.

Malaysia has also benefited from China's infrastructure investments, with Wong highlighting Indonesia’s high-speed rail project and Malaysia’s ECRL as prime examples of ASEAN nations leveraging China’s expertise in large-scale development projects.

As Malaysia and China continue to strengthen their relationship, Wong stressed the importance of fostering mutual economic prosperity and finding ways to expand cooperation.

"There are many issues that cannot be resolved overnight, but we have to move on. The fastest way is to focus on positive values," he said, adding that this approach aligns with China’s “Shared Prosperity” principle.

Wong highlighted China's growing influence in global cultural exports, particularly through its animation industry. He cited the success of ‘Ne Zha 2’, an epic Chinese anime film, as an example of China’s ability to project its "soft creative power" to the world.

While he had only seen glimpses of the film on YouTube, he found it fascinating and noted that it demonstrated China’s capability in producing high-quality creative content that could stand on par with global standards.

"China has been able to introduce this important cultural character to the world through a soft power boost," he said, congratulating those responsible for bringing the film to life.

When asked about China’s high-level opening-up policies and measures that will impact ASEAN and Malaysia, Wong highlighted the significance of the 'Two Sessions,' referring to the annual plenary meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which set China’s policy direction.

As ASEAN Chair this year, he said China's policies on high-level opening-up and economic cooperation are closely watched by the region and will have a direct or indirect impact on ASEAN.

“As these Two Sessions will deliberate on China's agenda and direction for the coming year, Malaysia wants to see how trade will proceed from here, as well as the decisions on diplomacy, the economy, and the military, since all these decisions will have an impact on Malaysia,” he said. 

The full interview video has been made public and is available on the official website of the NPC & CPPCC Annual Sessions 2025.

-- BERNAMA