KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia views China not only as a major economic partner, but also as a strategic collaborator in advancing sustainable and resilient development for the region, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said Malaysia welcomes deeper engagement with China in green investments, innovation, and technology transfer that support climate action while creating meaningful economic opportunities for the people.
“One important area of growing collaboration is green energy and the green economy.
“As both Malaysia and China pursue low-carbon and climate-resilient development, cooperation in renewable energy, electric mobility, energy efficiency, and green technology has become a key pillar of our bilateral relationship,” he said in his speech at the Chinese New Year reception hosted by the Embassy of China in Malaysia, here Friday.
The event was also attended by Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, and Ambassador of China to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.
Fadillah noted that China remains Malaysia’s largest trading partner, with economic ties continuing to expand in both scale and quality.
“Beyond traditional trade, our cooperation is increasingly focused on future oriented and high-value sectors that will shape sustainable growth in the years ahead,” he added.
On tourism, the deputy prime minister said that China has long been one of Malaysia’s most important tourism markets and Malaysia is encouraged by the strong recovery in travel and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
“As Malaysia prepares for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, we warmly invite our friends from China to experience Malaysia once again – our cultural diversity, natural beauty, rich heritage, and renowned hospitality,” he added.
He noted that human connections, including friendships between communities, students, entrepreneurs, and future generations formed the strongest foundation of Malaysia-China bilateral ties.
Quoting a well-known Chinese saying “Tong Zhou Gong Ji”, which means those who sail in the same boat must help one another across the river, Fadillah said that the timeless wisdom reflects the spirit of Malaysia-China relations.
He added that cooperation between the two countries is guided not only by shared interests but by mutual respect, trust, and a collective commitment to progress.
Meanwhile, Fadillah said that as Malaysia and China celebrate the Lunar New Year together, both countries are reminded that in an increasingly complex global environment, strong partnerships anchored in dialogue, harmony, and mutual benefit are more important than ever.
“Malaysia remains firmly committed to working closely with China to promote regional stability, sustainable development, and shared prosperity, in line with the principles of ASEAN cooperation and multilateralism,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
