Illustration: Xia Qing/GT
Since China and Malaysia established diplomatic relations more than 50 years ago, the relationship between the two countries has continued to develop well and mutual trust has deepened. In recent years, people in Malaysia have greatly improved their favorability and trust in China, and an increasing number of Malaysians are optimistic about the prospects of future cooperation between the two countries. This is confirmed by surveys conducted last year by Malaysian and Singaporean agencies.
In December, Merdeka Centre, an independent polling agency in Malaysia, released its latest public opinion survey that is broadly representative. Survey data shows that the Malaysian public's overall favorable view of China has increased significantly, and their evaluation of the relationship between the two countries has become more positive. 77 percent of Malaysian respondents have a positive view of China, and 84 percent believe that the current China-Malaysia relationship could be considered good. This reflects a significant increase in the Malaysian public's trust and recognition of China-Malaysia relations.
Similar results of a survey by the ASEAN Studies Centre at the ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore in April demonstrated the same tendency. Notably, the following question was posed: "If ASEAN were forced to align itself with one of the strategic rivals, which should it choose?" The results indicated that 75.1 percent of Malaysian respondents believe that ASEAN should choose China, a sharp increase of more than 20 percent compared to 2023.
The improvement in the Malaysian public's favorability toward China is attributed to the increasingly close interaction between the two countries in various fields including politics, economy and culture.
Over the past 50 years, political mutual trust between China and Malaysia has been continuously enhanced, with high-level exchanges between the two countries being frequent. Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has visited China several times. The leaders of the two countries have reached a high degree of consensus on many issues, including jointly building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future. On complex and sensitive issues such as the South China Sea, China and Malaysia have maintained a high level of political mutual trust, managing disputes through dialogue and negotiation rather than confrontation, thereby contributing to regional peace and stability.
The deepening economic ties between Malaysia and China have significantly influenced public perceptions. The cooperation between the two countries in the economic field has become increasingly close in recent years. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years since 2009, while Malaysia is China's second-largest trading partner and the largest source of imports in ASEAN.
China is also one of the largest sources of foreign investment in Malaysia. Malaysia's early support for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has greatly attracted investment from China. The two countries are steadily advancing their high-quality BRI cooperation. BRI projects have not only boosted Malaysia's economic development, but also strengthened the Malaysian people's positive impression of China.
Furthermore, cultural ties and interactions between the two nations foster mutual understanding and emotional connections between their peoples. Cooperation between China and Malaysia in the field of education has been deepening, with an increasing number of Malaysian students choosing to study in China to learn about Chinese society and culture. At the same time, Malaysia has become an important destination for Chinese students. Tourism is another crucial cornerstone of bilateral relations, and the increasingly frequent tourism exchanges have enhanced understanding and friendship between both peoples.
A combination of enhanced political mutual trust, economic benefits and deepening of cultural ties has contributed to a more positive evaluation of China and the relationship between the two countries among the Malaysian people. This trend highlights the value of sustained cooperation and mutual respect between China and Malaysia.
The author is deputy director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies of the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn