New Chinese Ambassador outlines four priorities for China-Malaysia ties

Friends from all walks of life across Malaysia,

It is a great pleasure to be back in Malaysia, a beautiful country known as “Malaysia, Truly Asia” as I step into my new role. After spending years working in the region and visiting Malaysia numerous times, I have always held a special place for this country in my heart. From the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers to the unforgettable taste of Musang King durian, this vibrant country never fails to leave a lasting impression.

China and Malaysia share a time-honored friendship. Historic chapters like the great navigator Zheng He’s five visits to Malacca and the unwavering support of Nanyang Volunteer Drivers and Mechanics for Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression are etched in our shared memory. As the first Asean member to forge diplomatic ties with China following the Association’s inception, Malaysia also pioneered the growth of China-Asean dialogue. Whether confronting the Asian or global financial crises, or facing the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, our two peoples have always stood by each other, weathering the storms and emerging stronger together.

China-Malaysia relations stand as a shining example of mutual support, shared success, and win-win cooperation between nations. The historic state visit by President Xi Jinping to Malaysia in April 2025 marked a milestone. The consensus to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future officially ushered in the next “Golden 50 Years” of bilateral ties, elevating our relationship to an unprecedented height in history.

Serving as the newly appointed Ambassador of China to Malaysia, my paramount duty is to translate the crucial consensus reached by our top leaders into concrete actions, driving China-Malaysia relations to newer heights. My ultimate goal is to advance all-dimensional cooperation and friendly exchanges, fostering an even closer bond between our two peoples. To this end, I look forward to working hand in hand with our Malaysian friends to pursue four key priorities:

First, we will strive to reinforce political mutual trust and consolidate our all-round friendship. As China vigorously advances national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernisation, Malaysia is making strategic strides under the “Malaysia Madani” vision.

Bound by deeply intertwined interests and highly aligned philosophies, our two nations are uniquely positioned to empower each other’s modernization journeys, deepen strategic mutual trust, and ensure the steady, long-term progress of our high-level strategic community with a shared future.

Second, we will strive to catalyse deeper economic ties and bring greater well-being to both peoples. Delivering a better, happier life for our peoples remains our shared aspiration and highest priority. Driven by our highly complementary economies, the potential for future cooperation is immense. Together, we must advance the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative—consolidating ties in traditional sectors like infrastructure and trade, while unlocking new frontiers in AI and semiconductors to bring more tangible benefits to both peoples.

Third, we will strive to deepen people-to-people ties and cultivate enduring bonds of friendship. Amity between nations holds the key to sound relations, and such amity springs from the heart-to-heart connections of their peoples. The true strength of China-Malaysia friendship lies in its deep roots across our societies and within the hearts of our people. Leveraging our mutual visa-free policy and the golden opportunity of “Visit Malaysia Year 2026”, we should successfully host the Confucian-Islamic Civilisational Dialogues and expand robust cooperation in education, culture, healthcare, tourism, and sub-national exchanges—thereby facilitating seamless travel and bringing our two peoples closer in both heart and mind.

Fourth, we will strive to strengthen multilateral coordination and champion international fairness and justice. We are living through a period of profound changes unseen in a century, amidst a noticeable rise in unilateralism and power politics. The hard truth remains: humanity is bound to a shared future—for better or worse—an unstoppable trend of our times. Together, China and Malaysia must uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, champion international fairness and justice, and amplify the voice of the Global South to forge a more equitable global governance system. By staying committed to openness and development, and pioneering rules for emerging domains, we can inject much-needed certainty into a world fraught with turbulence and volatility.

As the future of China-Malaysia relations unfolds and the call for progress rings out, we are entrusted with a mission of profound urgency.

Embracing this new chapter in our bilateral ties, I am fully committed to honoring and carrying forward the remarkable legacy of my predecessors. Hand in hand with our Malaysian friends across all walks of life, we will foster dialogue, share insights, pool our wisdom, and deepen comprehensive cooperation.

Together, we will cement our unbreakable bond and bring enduring prosperity to both peoples for generations to come.

Written Address by Ambassador Yao Wen upon arrival at KLIA

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来自马来西亚各地各行各业的朋友们，

能够重返马来西亚——这个被誉为“亚洲瑰宝”的美丽国度，开启新的征程，我感到无比荣幸。多年来，我一直在该地区工作，也曾多次到访马来西亚，这个国家在我心中始终占据着特殊的位置。从标志性的双子塔到令人难忘的猫山王榴莲，这个充满活力的国家总能给我留下深刻的印象。

中国与马来西亚有着源远流长的友谊。郑和五次访问马六甲、南洋志愿司机和机械师在中国人民抗日战争中坚定不移的支持等历史篇章，都深深铭刻在我们共同的记忆中。作为东盟成立后首个与中国建交的成员国，马来西亚也率先推动了中国与东盟对话的发展。无论是面对亚洲和全球金融危机，还是应对新冠肺炎疫情的冲击，两国人民始终守望相助，共渡难关，携手共进，变得更加强大。

中马关系是各国相互支持、共享成功、合作共赢的典范。习近平主席2025年4月对马来西亚的历史性国事访问具有里程碑意义。双方就构建中马命运共同体达成共识，正式开启中马关系下一个“黄金五十年”，将两国关系推向历史新高。

作为新任中国驻马来西亚大使，我的首要职责是将两国最高领导人达成的关键共识转化为具体行动，推动中马关系迈上新台阶。我的最终目标是推进全方位合作与友好交流，进一步加强两国人民之间的联系。为此，我期待与马来西亚朋友携手合作，共同推进以下四个重点领域：

首先，我们将努力加强政治互信，巩固全面友谊。中国正通过现代化大力推进民族复兴，马来西亚也在“马来西亚正道”的愿景下迈出战略步伐。

两国利益紧密相连，理念高度一致，因此在相互赋能彼此现代化进程、深化战略互信、确保我们拥有共同命运的高层次战略共同体稳步长期发展方面，具有得天独厚的优势。

其次，我们将努力深化经济联系，增进两国人民福祉。为两国人民创造更美好、更幸福的生活，始终是我们的共同愿望和最高优先事项。两国经济高度互补，未来合作潜力巨大。我们必须携手推进“一带一路”高质量发展，巩固基础设施、贸易等传统领域的合作，同时开拓人工智能、半导体等新兴领域，为两国人民带来更多实实在在的利益。

第三，我们将努力深化民间交流，培育长久友谊。国与国之间的友好是良好关系的关键，而这种友好源于两国人民的心灵交流。中马友谊的真正力量在于它深深扎根于我们两国社会和人民心中。我们将充分利用互免签证政策和“2026马来西亚旅游年”的宝贵机遇，成功举办儒伊文明对话，并拓展在教育、文化、医疗、旅游和地方交流等领域的广泛合作，从而促进两国人民的无缝交流，增进彼此的心灵和思想。

第四，我们将努力加强多边协调，倡导国际公平正义。我们正经历百年未有之大变局，单边主义和强权政治日益抬头。残酷的现实是：人类命运与共，无论好坏，这都是我们这个时代不可阻挡的趋势。中马两国必须共同维护以联合国为核心的国际体系，倡导国际公平正义，提升南方国家的声音，构建更加公平的全球治理体系。坚持开放发展，开拓新兴领域规则，我们就能为动荡不安的世界注入亟需的确定性。

随着中马关系的未来走向和推进的呼声日益高涨，我们肩负着一项极其紧迫的使命。

值此双边关系开启新篇章之际，我将全力以赴，传承和发扬前辈们的卓越成就。我们将与马来西亚各界朋友携手并进，促进对话，分享见解，汇聚智慧，深化全面合作。

我们将携手巩固牢不可破的纽带，为两国人民带来世世代代的持久繁荣。

姚文大使抵达吉隆坡国际机场时发表的书面讲话

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