Kuala Lumpur: Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his visit to Malaysia on Wednesday, called on Asian nations to unite in resisting geopolitical confrontation, unilateralism, and protectionism. The remarks come as part of his broader effort to strengthen ties with neighboring countries amid worsening relations between China and the United States.
Xi’s stop in Malaysia is part of a broader Southeast Asian tour that also includes Vietnam and Cambodia. His visit to Kuala Lumpur marks a key moment in China’s strategy to deepen regional partnerships, particularly through economic and infrastructure cooperation.
Following a bilateral meeting, Xi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the signing of 31 agreements covering a range of sectors, including trade, tourism, railway transportation, and agriculture. While specific details were not disclosed, the two leaders described the outcome as a consensus on broadening cooperation.
China's President Xi Jinping called for Asian nations to unite in resisting geopolitical confrontation, unilateralism and protectionism, as he continued his Southeast Asian tour amid a sharp deterioration in China-US relations https://t.co/zfTnqShML7 pic.twitter.com/JYlX7fFYcf
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“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 an official function with Anwar.
Xi’s message comes amid lingering tensions stemming from the U.S.-China trade war. Although he did not mention the United States directly, his comments follow years of economic pressure initiated under former U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration imposed sweeping tariffs and withdrew from several multilateral institutions as part of the “America First” policy agenda. Beijing continues to face high U.S. tariffs, some reaching as high as 145%.
Malaysia, which had also faced a 24% tariff on its exports to the U.S. before a temporary 90-day suspension, has been actively engaging Washington in efforts to mitigate the economic strain. Despite these challenges, Prime Minister Anwar reaffirmed Malaysia’s strong ties with China.
“At a time when multilateralism is under tremendous strain, when some nations abandon the principle of shared responsibility and others question long-standing commitments, China’s global initiatives offer a new lease on hope,” Anwar said.
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China has remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009, with total bilateral trade reaching 484.1 billion ringgit (approximately $110 billion) in 2023, according to Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Xi also urged Malaysia and other ASEAN nations to stand against economic decoupling, supply chain fragmentation, and what he termed “excessive tariffs,” advocating for deeper openness and collaboration. According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, Xi emphasized expanding cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as well as in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
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The two nations are also exploring enhanced transport connectivity, including a potential link between Malaysia’s $10 billion East Coast Rail Link and other China-backed infrastructure projects in Laos and Thailand — a move that could integrate much of Southeast Asia under the BRI umbrella.
Following his meeting with Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim, Xi expressed China’s willingness to import more high-quality agricultural products from Malaysia, as part of broader efforts to deepen economic integration.
