China and Malaysia will build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future to accelerate their modernization efforts and jointly promote regional and global prosperity and stability.

　　The two close neighbors announced this in a recent joint statement, which deepened strategic mutual trust between the two nations.

　　The important consensuses reached and cooperation agreements will help advance the development of bilateral relations, Du Lan, deputy director and associate research fellow at the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies, China Institute of International Studies, told Science and Technology Daily. The visit also demonstrated China's proactive approach to cooperation and its image as a major power in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, she said.

　　The economic structures of both countries are highly complementary and both have a strong demand for economic cooperation. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. Their bilateral trade in 2024 reached a historic high of 212 billion USD.

　　"In recent years, China has continued to expand market access for Malaysia, injecting robust momentum into bilateral trade growth," Du added.

　　Particularly with the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and substantial progress in the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) Version 3.0 upgrade negotiations, economic and trade cooperation between the two has been significantly enhanced.

　　Malaysia, the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2025, is expected to promote the implementation of the China-ASEAN FTA 3.0 by setting the agenda and themes of meetings, preventing negative factors such as geopolitical tensions from hindering regional cooperation, according to Du.

　　"Malaysia hopes to enhance bilateral cooperation with China to boost economic development across the region and looks forward to China playing a greater role in ASEAN's progress," she said.

　　The joint announcement also said both countries will focus on four key areas: the digital economy, green economy, blue economy and tourism economy to expand cooperation.

　　Du said Malaysia's digital economy is developing rapidly, with a large and dynamic market as well as strong demand, emerging as a new growth driver for China-Malaysia relations. In recent years, the Malaysian government has launched national-level strategic plans for digitalization and industrial development. It is evident that China-Malaysia cooperation in areas such as e-commerce, e-payment and smart cities has synergy effect.

　　Foreseeably, these areas will become new growth engines for high-quality development of both countries, Du added.

　　China and Malaysia will open a new historic chapter of good-neighborly friendship and mutual benefit, ushering in a new "Golden 50 Years" for their bilateral relations.