Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on China and Malaysia to strength the alignment of their development strategies and advance their bilateral relationship through high-level strategic cooperation.
The remarks were made in a signed article titled "May the Ship of China-Malaysia Friendship Sail Toward an Even Brighter Future" by Xi, published on Tuesday by several major Malaysian media outlets, including Sin Chew Daily, The Star, and Sinar Harian. The article coincided with the start of President Xi's state visit to Malaysia.
In the piece, Xi described China and Malaysia as "friendly neighbors across the sea" and emphasized the need to inject fresh momentum into their longstanding friendship.
Xi said that China and Malaysia must enhance strategic communication, increase mutual political trust, follow through on the Belt and Road cooperation plan between the two governments.
He noted that in 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries reached 212 billion U.S. dollars - nearly a thousand-fold increase since their establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974. He underscored that China has remained Malaysia's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.
Xi also highlighted Malaysia's role as the ASEAN Chair for 2025, saying China is committed to working with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to combat the undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation, as well as the countercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism, in keeping with the historical trend of peace and development.
"President Xi's article and statement are definitely very precious to us. He has emphasized a lot in terms of mutual trust and shared prosperity for future growth. That is something that we Malaysians deeply agree with and believe in it," said Chan Seng Fatt, CEO of Star Media Group, in an interview with China Global Television Network on Monday at the printing house.
Malaysia is the second leg of Xi's current five-day three-nation Southeast Asia tour, which began with a two-day state visit to Vietnam, and will also take him to Cambodia for a state visit.
Xi calls for advancing China-Malaysia relations through deeper cooperation
The United States has long been the major external factor affecting Haiti's security, stability, and development, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, on Monday, who also condemned the U.S. for exacerbating Haiti's economic challenges by imposing sweeping tariffs.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting, Geng expressed China's deep concern over Haiti's worsening crisis and rampant gang violence, its near-collapse state, and the desperate situation of its population.
For over a century, the United States has blatantly deployed troops, installed puppet governments, and manipulated Haiti's constitution, entrenching itself in Haiti's political affairs, said Geng.
He noted that just a year ago, the United States orchestrated the current political transition arrangements in Haiti. However, following a shift in its own government, the United States has turned a blind eye to that very transition, leaving Haiti mired in internal conflict and turmoil.
According to Geng, the United States has always been the main source of weapons for Haiti, allowing illegal weapons to flow into Haiti from Florida.
In October 2023, the United States spearheaded the formation of the Multinational Security Support Mission, pledging financial support. However, in the past year and more, its actual contributions have been relatively limited. At one point, the Untied States even attempted to convert the mission into a UN peacekeeping operation, citing a lack of funds, said Geng.
This is an apparent act to shift the burden onto the UN and its member states, treating them as little more than an ATM machine, Geng added.
Geng also highlighted the U.S. role in undermining Haiti's development.
While professing support for the Haitian people, the United States has significantly cut foreign aid and continued deporting Haitian immigrants on the pretext of national priorities when Haiti is in dire need of support, said the Chinese envoy. "What is even more shocking is that not long ago, while the United States defied world opinion by imposing sweeping tariffs on all trade partners, it also extended its so-called baseline tariff of 10 percent to Haiti, one of the world's least developed countries as defined by the UN. This act of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying is not just aimed at the so-called competitors like China. It has also inflicted damage on a nation teetering on the edge of collapse, such as a fragile country like Haiti, where the people are in dire straits. This is not only cruel and absurd, but also profoundly heartbreaking," said Geng.
Chinese envoy slams US for negative role in Haiti's crisis
