Beijing, KL stress close ties amid territorial dispute

Both focus on strong trade, trust at forum after Chinese flag march sparks protests

- Lu Wei Hoong

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian and Chinese officials focused on their healthy trade ties and the countries' building of mutual trust at a high-profile forum on Oct 30.

This came amid tensions caused by the ongoing South China Sea territorial dispute and the recent incident of Chinese citizens waving their national flag while marching in Perak.

The Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr Ouyang Yujing, and Malaysia's Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang headlined the forum - Ambassadorial Reflections Symposium: Celebrating 50 Years of Malaysia-China Relations - in Kuala Lumpur.

"With China as Malaysia's top trading partner since 2009, our economic ties are strong. China has become a major investor, particularly in science and technology, playing a crucial role in driving Malaysia's industrial and technological progress," said Mr Chang in his opening remarks at the event, which was attended by some 100 people, including academics and diplomats.

The Chinese envoy in his opening speech said bilateral trade reached US$135.23 billion (S$178.6 billion) from January to August, an 11 per cent year-on-year increase.

Malaysia also received US$1.48 billion in investment from China during the same eight-month period, a 13.2 per cent year-on-year spike, Mr Ouyang said.