China and Malaysia will work together on trade, the economy and investment, President Xi Jinping and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in the Malaysian capital on Wednesday.

At a bilateral meeting, Xi said he was willing to promote development of Chinese and Malaysian relations.

"I am willing to work with you to continue to promote the development of the China-Malaysia community with a shared future in a high-level strategic direction, create more benefits for the people of the two countries, make greater contributions to regional prosperity and stability, and make the friendship between China and Malaysia from generation to generation more prosperous," the president said.

China and Malaysia also reached a consensus on deepening cooperation in various fields, Xi said after witnessing the exchange of 31 agreements with the Malaysian Prime Minister, ranging from trade and tourism to railway transportation and agriculture.

"In the face of shocks to the current international order and economic globalisation, our two nations will stand united with other countries in the region to jointly resist the undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation, overcome the countercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism, and safeguard the promising prospects for development in our shared Asian home," Xi said at a function with Anwar.

Anwar for his part had said the two nations will collaborate in fields including artificial intelligence.

"Not only [are you the] president of a great country, the People's Republic of China, but [you are] a true friend ...We will work together in various fields of endeavour, including the economy, trade, investments, and, of course, new technology, including the AI initiative."

Xi is in Malaysia as part of a three-nation Southeast Asian trip to consolidate ties with some of the nation's closest neighbours as trade tensions with the United States escalate.

Earlier in the day, Xi met with Malaysia's king, Sultan Ibrahim, in a colourful ceremony at the golden-domed Istana palace.

Broadcaster CCTV reported that during the meeting, Xi pointed out that the two countries are good neighbours, friends and partners.

"We have frequent exchanges and are as close as one family," he said.

"This visit at your invitation is not only to fulfill our appointment a year ago to meet in Kuala Lumpur, but also to jointly work with you to usher in a new 'Golden 50 Years' in China-Malaysia relations."

Malaysia is the second stop of Xi's five-day, three-nation Southeast Asian tour, which began with a two-day Vietnam state visit. His next stop is Cambodia. (Reuters/AFP)
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Last updated: 2025-04-16 HKT 22:48