This photo shows the launching site of the East Coast Rail Link project in Kuantan, Malaysia on Dec. 11, 2023. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

China is Malaysia's largest trade partner, a key investor and a close bilateral and multilateral partner, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says. 

Ties between Malaysia and China remain strong and fruitful as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday.

In his keynote address at the 37th Asia-Pacific Roundtable (APR), Anwar highlighted the fact that China is the Southeast Asian nation's largest trade partner, a key investor and a close bilateral and multilateral partner, while noting the success it has had especially in poverty eradication.

A person shows stamps marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 31, 2024.(Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

The progress that China has made in the past, especially the vast improvement in the quality of life for hundreds of millions of its people, is nothing short of spectacular, he said.

Anwar also stressed that Malaysia, which has a long-standing non-aligned policy, will continue on this path, seeking cooperation and mutual benefits while avoiding confrontation and geopolitical entanglements. "In remaining faithful to the principle of non-alignment, we have proven that the pursuit of dynamic neutrality is not only feasible but highly desirable," he said.

The APR, which runs from Tuesday to Thursday, is the signature international conference of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.

Aerial photo taken on Oct. 6, 2020 shows a view of the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park in Qinzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhou Hua)

Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said on Wednesday that as this year also marks the "China-ASEAN Year of People-to-people Exchanges," China is willing to work closely with its ASEAN partners in further tightening people-to-people bond by increasing exchanges in culture, media, education, tourism, youth and think tanks and other fields.

"China is ready to work with ASEAN countries in more effectively implementing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, deepening industrial collaboration, stabilizing production and supply chains, enhancing regional connectivity, and releasing further the potentials of emerging industries such as digital transformation and green economy. China is also willing to deepen cross-border industrial cooperation with ASEAN countries," he added.