Malaysian experts expressed that Chinese President Xi Jinping's just-concluded state visit to the country will boost bilateral ties and China-ASEAN cooperation.
Xi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday for a state visit at the invitation of King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
In a signed article published in Malaysian media before his arrival, Xi said China fully supports Malaysia in fulfilling its duties as the rotating chair of ASEAN for 2025. He looks forward to seeing Malaysia as a better bridge in coordinating relations between China and ASEAN.
He added that China is willing to work with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to follow the historical trend of peace and development, resist geopolitical competition and bloc confrontation, and overcome unilateralism and protectionism.
During his meeting with the King and talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday, Xi reiterated China's support for Malaysia as the chair of ASEAN and urged joint efforts to resist decoupling, supply chain disruptions, "small yard with high fences" and arbitrary imposition of tariffs with openness, inclusiveness, unity, and cooperation.
"As the [ASEAN] chair, it's really an honor for us to have President Xi come to visit us, and we can carry the message for the rest of ASEAN. But the key moving forward is that we need to talk more and we need to work together more," Wong Chen, a member of the Parliament of Malaysia, told China Global Television Network.
Chee Meng Tan, an Assistant Professor of Business Economics at University of Nottingham Malaysia, said closer China-ASEAN cooperation will help countries in the region mitigate the risks caused by tariffs imposed by the United States.
"Even though Trump has said that he's putting a 90-day halt on tariffs on 60 countries in the world, that doesn't mean that the tariffs are gone. The tariffs could still be there. So I think ASEAN needs to mitigate this risk by talking very closely to China," he said.
Malaysia is the second leg of Xi's current five-day, three-nation Southeast Asia tour. He wrapped up a state visit to Vietnam from Monday to Tuesday and started a state visit to Cambodia on Thursday.
Xi's Malaysia visit boosts bilateral ties, China-ASEAN cooperation: experts
The sixth edition of Shanghai's iconic "5·5 Shopping Festival" kicked off on Thursday, alongside the 2025 International Consumption Season, in a renewed push to boost domestic demand and revitalize consumer spending.
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, China Media Group (CMG), and the Shanghai Municipal Government, the event promises a vibrant mix of promotional campaigns, themed events, and immersive retail experiences across the city's commercial districts.
Centering on the theme "Quality Consumption, Demand Creation," the festival targets four key consumer sectors: services, big-ticket purchases, inbound spending, and emerging consumption trends. It also highlights new economic frontiers such as the debut economy, the silver economy, the nighttime economy, and the ticket-based economy—aimed at unlocking consumer potential and enhancing Shanghai's commercial vitality through new product launches, senior-friendly services, dynamic nightlife, and spending on cultural activities.
The festival launch ceremony also included the Fourth International Consumption Center City Forum. In a video address, Marwan Ahmed Bin Ghalita, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, expressed hopes for deeper cooperation between Shanghai and Dubai as the two metropolises mark the 25th anniversary of their sister-city relationship. He emphasized their shared vision for urban development and prosperity.
Another highlight of the festival was the debut of the "CMG Select: Shanghai Pavilion." Combining celebrity hosts, culture, art, and premium brands, the pavilion leverages CMG's influential media platform to energize consumer activity and support Shanghai's drive to become a world-class consumption center.
The shopping festival will run through the end of June, with over 1,000 companies and thousands of brands set to launch more than 1,000 special events.
The 2025 International Consumption Season is a flagship event under the "Shop in China" campaign. Jointly launched by the Ministry of Commerce and five other government departments, the initiative will mobilize regions across the country to spotlight premium international and domestic goods. It will feature product debuts, first launches, and consumer-friendly measures to help both domestic shoppers and inbound tourists access high-quality global merchandise and enjoy top-tier services.
Shanghai launches major shopping festival to boost consumer spending
