China-Malaysia relations have remained robust and resilient over more than half a century, and the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future is progressing steadily.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future is progressing steadily, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said in a recent written interview with Xinhua.

Under the guidance of their leaders, China and Malaysia will continue to be close neighbors bound by enduring friendship, sincere partners in shared development, brotherly friends and an important force for peace, ushering in an even brighter future for bilateral relations, Ouyang said.

China-Malaysia relations have remained robust and resilient over more than half a century, he said. In the early days of diplomatic ties, Malaysian leaders compared the relationship to a "newly planted sapling." Today, it has grown into a towering tree with deep roots and flourishing branches, showing that the two countries are together making great strides toward a shared future.

Ouyang highlighted high-level exchanges as the key driver in forging a China-Malaysia community with a shared future anchored in deep mutual trust. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Malaysia elevated bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. In 2023, President Xi met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Beijing, where the two sides agreed to jointly build a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, mapping out the blueprint for bilateral relations.

Practical cooperation is the cornerstone of building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future featuring mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, said Ouyang. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, while Malaysia remains China's second-largest trading partner and the largest source of imports within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In 2024, bilateral trade reached a record high of 212.04 billion U.S. dollars, marking an 11.4 percent year-on-year increase.

Malaysian products are highly popular in China, particularly fresh durian, Ouyang said.

Malaysia is one of China's key destinations for direct investment, with strong momentum in cooperation on new quality productive forces, he said, citing examples like Chinese new energy vehicles that are well-received in Malaysia, along with data centers established by Chinese firms.

Automakers like Geely and Chery have built local manufacturing plants, fostering deeper integration between the two nations' production and supply chains, the ambassador said, adding that firms such as GDS Holdings and Chindata Group are setting up data centers in Malaysia, supporting the country's digital transformation.

Ouyang also underscored the vital role of people-to-people exchanges in building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future rooted in mutual understanding. Historical ties link the two peoples, as the stories of Chinese navigator Zheng He's five visits to Malacca during his seven maritime expeditions are well-known in Malaysia. Since establishing diplomatic relations, the two nations have stood together through challenges like the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Wenchuan earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic, further solidifying their friendship.

Following the implementation of mutual visa exemption policies in late 2023, Malaysia welcomed nearly 3.8 million Chinese tourists in 2024, with weekly flights between the two countries exceeding 500, Ouyang said. Just last month, the Chinese movie Ne Zha 2 premiered in Malaysia, where it promptly set new box office records for Chinese films in the market.

Ouyang said that China and ASEAN are inseparable as good neighbors, close brothers and trusted partners. With Malaysia assuming the ASEAN rotating chairmanship for 2025, the Chinese ambassador expressed the hope that ASEAN, which has long championed multilateralism and open policies, will work hand-in-hand with China to advance along the path of good-neighborly friendship and shared prosperity.

He reaffirmed China's steadfast support for Malaysia's role as ASEAN chair. Ouyang also emphasized China's commitment to building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and jointly building a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable homeland together.

The ambassador expressed confidence that through joint efforts, China and ASEAN will continue to advance their friendly cooperation, making greater contributions to building a more prosperous and beautiful region and world.