(KPL/VNA) Malaysia-China economic ties have continued to strengthen, with bilateral trade reaching nearly 98 billion USD between January and November, matching the 2023 total trade volume.

Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the 6.9% year-on-year growth presents opportunities for further advancement in the years to come.

In his speech at the Malaysia-China Summit 2024 reception dinner on December 19, Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia’s regard of China as a valuable partner went beyond bilateral ties at multiple critical junctures. Since the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) was officially launched in 2013, Malaysia has been one of its earliest and most supportive partners.

The minister said after ASEAN was initiated in 1967, Malaysia gradually brought China into the regional fold in the early 1990s, which also saw the kickstart of the China-ASEAN Dialogue.

The summit was organised by Qube Integrated Malaysia in collaboration with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) from December 17-19 to celebrate 50 years of Malaysia-China diplomatic ties.

KPL