Angeline Tan was quoted in The Star, 18 April 2025
PETALING JAYA: It was truly a regal affair. Malaysia’s queen of song, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin, was enthralling, and the durian, our king of fruits, was delectable.
The state dinner, in honour of visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, was indeed a special event.
Siti Nurhaliza was joined by fellow songstress Aina Abdul to showcase our world-class musical talent. Malaysia’s most iconic dishes and fruits were also laid out for the guests.
Siti Nurhaliza’s performance, accompanied by a live string ensemble, captivated the audience and has since gone viral on social media. After their performances, both Siti Nurhaliza and Aina were spotted enjoying Musang King and Black Thorn durians.
President Xi and his delegation were also treated to a spread of traditional local dishes, including lamb murtabak, Penang asam laksa, ketupat, rendang and, of course, durians.
But Xi’s visit was about far more than the dinner and camaraderie. His visit further strengthened the longstanding friendship and strategic cooperation between Malaysia and China, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Malaysia is honoured to receive this visit and believes that the outcomes of the meeting and exchange of views will pave the way for deeper cooperation and mutual benefits for the peoples of both countries.
“This relationship will continue to be nurtured with sincerity and deep respect,” he said in a statement after Xi’s visit.
Anwar and Xi witnessed the signing of some 31 Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), Notes and cooperations, covering strategic areas such as AI, digital economy, green development, housing, tourism and communications, among others.
Anwar stressed that Malaysia stands ready to deepen strategic communication with China and consolidate mutual trust.
He said Malaysia remains a reliable partner to China during “moments of triumph and trial”.
In a joint statement released after Xi’s trip, both sides agreed to build a high-level strategic Malaysia-China community to accelerate their modernisation efforts and jointly promote regional and global prosperity and stability.
Malaysia also played a key role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), signing on in 2017 and benefiting from projects such as the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” programme and the East Coast Rail Link.
Geopolitical analyst Dr Azmi Hassan said the visit marked a new chapter of relations for Malaysia-China ties for the next 50 years following the signing of the MOUs.
“It gives the perception that Malaysia and China’s ties remain strong despite the headwinds from the United States.
“Some have expressed concern that the visit might cause uneasiness in Washington, but it shows that Malaysia, as Asean Chair, is not taking sides.
“We are also sending our team to Washington and have clarified that there will be no reciprocal move against the US tariffs.
“We are being friendly with all parties, and we are neutral,” he said.
Xi’s visit also presents an opportunity for Malaysia to expand its market.
China has maintained its position as 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 Asean.
During his three-day visit, Xi emphasised strengthening ties, particularly trade and investment, amid global economic uncertainties and the backdrop of trade tensions with the United States.
The Chinese President underscored the need to oppose unilateralism and protectionism and uphold a multilateral trading system.
Xi also put forward a three-point proposal on building a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community, saying both countries uphold self-reliance and strength and firmly oppose external interference.
Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia analyst Angeline Tan said among the key highlights from Xi’s visit was the establishment of a 2+2 mechanism for high-level foreign and defence exchanges.
“Expanding these channels of high-level communication can help lead to a more strategic and robust partnership between our countries,” she said.
China also highly appreciates the role Malaysia is playing in promoting Asean-China cooperation and spoke highly of the country’s contribution to Asean-China Dialogue Relations.
“The two sides reaffirmed the principles, shared values and norms enshrined in the Asean Charter, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South-East Asia (TAC), while upholding Asean Centrality,” both countries said.
They said they would promote an open and inclusive regional architecture that was conducive to regional development, growth and prosperity.
The two sides also commended the Asean-China Dialogue Relations and reiterated the joint implementation of the Joint Statement of the Asean-China Special Summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Asean-China Dialogue Relations.
This article first published in The Star, 18 April 2025
