“It further signals China’s readiness to work closely with regional partners like Malaysia to promote stability and shared prosperity in an increasingly complex global landscape,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Lauding the MOUs, Soh said it was important to take things beyond just the trade volume and investment figures.
“It must focus on co-creating high-value industrial ecosystems that support both countries’ aspirations, aligning Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP2030) with China’s innovation-driven growth agenda,” he said.
Citing significant potential in strategic sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean and renewable energy, electric mobility, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and smart logistics, Soh said the collaboration would spur both nations to jointly develop high-impact projects and sustainable, value-added supply chains.
He suggested that a more structured bilateral cooperation mechanism between both governments and the business community be set up, such as joint innovation hubs and green and digital industrial parks.
Such an arrangement would further enhance Malaysia as a strategic base for Chinese investors to tap into Asean and the regional market via the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ACFTA.
Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) treasurer-general Datuk Koong Lin Loong said the deepening cooperation went beyond China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as it covered several other key sectors.
He said the upgrading of the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) under the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” initiative should also include the setting up of similar parks in other parts of the country.
Koong stated that collaboration aimed at enhancing inspection protocols for items such as fresh coconuts and standardising regulations could facilitate increased agricultural exports to China.
Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia (Samenta) national president Datuk William Ng said the wide-ranging agreements marked a promising new era in Malaysia-China relations.
“I see this as a pivotal moment for Malaysian businesses, especially our SMEs. The sectors identified in the MOUs reflect where the future of trade and industry is heading,” he said.
Ng said the benefits of the strategic partnerships must be inclusive and accessible to local SMEs, which he said made up over 97% of Malaysian businesses.
“We welcome these MOUs, and we want to see them benefit the SMEs and the rakyat and not just a select group of GLCs,” he added.
Ng proposed the creation of downstream programmes to enable SMEs to engage in key sectors through joint ventures, vendor development, or technology adoption.
He said the collaboration should see Chinese companies helping local SMEs tap into the Chinese market via cross-border digital platforms, especially those operated by Chinese tech firms.
Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) president Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai said the MOUs showed a clear intent by both nations to work together in bringing prosperity to their people.
“Among the key areas of cooperation is the adoption of AI and e-commerce, where China is a global leader. If we can adopt their approach, we can accelerate the digitisation of government and the implementation of a more comprehensive digital economy for the nation,” he said.
Wong said that Malaysia would also benefit from the collaboration between the leading universities of both nations, particularly in relation to emerging technologies.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will remain an unwavering and principled friend to China during “moments of triumph and times of trial”, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
The Prime Minister said Malaysia and China have long stood shoulder to shoulder – not merely as comprehensive strategic partners, but as steadfast friends.
“Malaysia values this consistency. Malaysia will remain an unwavering and principled friend to China, guided by the wisdom of history and the promise of the future,” he said in a speech during the official dinner in honour of President Xi Jinping last night.
At a time when multilateralism is under tremendous strain, as certain nations abandon the principle of shared responsibility and others question long-standing commitments, Anwar said China’s global initiatives seem to offer a new lease on hope.
“What we are witnessing today is not an honest reckoning with the imperfections of globalisation, but a retreat into economic tribalism.
“Market access is being weaponised. What was once a multilateral covenant for shared growth now buckles under the weight of arbitrary disruption and unilateral whim.
“Amid this turbulence, China has been a rational, strong and reliable partner,” he said
Anwar said Malaysia’s foreign policy was shaped by a “clear-eyed” vision of its interest and the principle of Asean centrality.
“We do not simply favour cooperation over confrontation (but) we embrace it. We do not merely prefer respect over rivalry, we uphold it.
“And we choose dialogue, not simply because it chose us, but as a cornerstone of lasting peace and prosperity,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that during these trying times, the world yearns for steadiness, reliability and purpose.
“We see this in China’s conduct. Malaysia acknowledges such steadiness with quiet recognition and remains conscious not only of the calm it has brought, but of the hope it may continue to offer,” said Anwar.
He said under the leadership of Xi, China has outlined a series of global initiatives that reflect a distinctive worldview.
He said the Belt and Road Initiative reimagines connectivity not as a network of roads and rails, but as a framework for cooperation.
“The Global Development Initiative underscores the importance of inclusive progress.
“The Global Security Initiative calls for peace through dialogue,” he said.
“Each of these ideas reflects a broader aspiration of what President Xi has described as a community with a shared future for mankind.
“This brings to mind the famous saying of Confucius, that ‘within the four seas, all men are brothers’,” added Anwar, who said the phrase in Chinese.
He said he also hoped that Malaysia and China would endure a long-lasting relationship.
Malaysia and China deepen partnership with major deals on trade, tech and tourism
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and China have signed 31 memoranda of understanding (MOUs), notes and cooperation agreements with the highlight being a mutual visa exemption for travellers between the two countries.
Currently, Malaysians can travel to China visa-free until Dec 31 this year, while Chinese nationals enjoy visa-free travel to Malaysia until Dec 31 next year.
The exemption was in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
Other strategic areas of cooperation include security, development, trade, transport, agriculture, education and digital technology.
The exchange of documents, which took place at the Seri Perdana Complex yesterday, was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Among the key agreements signed with ministries and agencies is one concerning giant pandas, comprising an MOU on the Cooperative Research Agreement for the International Conservation of Giant Pandas.
Strategic talks: Anwar and Xi with their delegates during a bilateral meeting at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
Additionally, under the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, three MOUs were signed, including one aimed at upgrading the China-Malaysia “Two Countries, Twin Parks” initiative.
Also, three MOUs were inked under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, including tourism and media cooperation between Xinhua News Agency from China and Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board.
There was also an exchange of notes between China and Malaysia on the establishment of a joint foreign and defence dialogue.
Under the Transport Ministry, Malaysia and China signed an MOU between the National Railway Administration of China and the Transport Ministry to strengthen cooperation in the railway sector.
Meanwhile, the Digital Ministry and China’s National Development and Reform Commission inked an MOU on the digital economy, while the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of intellectual property.
Several MOUs were also signed with media groups and universities, including one on bilateral cooperation between China’s People’s Daily and Star Media Group Bhd.
At the start of a bilateral meeting, Anwar remarked that Malaysia remains committed to working together with China in various areas, including economy, trade, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The Prime Minister stated that China is not only a close neighbour but also an important partner through the comprehensive strategic partnership, which reflects the deep trust and long-standing cooperation between the two nations.
Toasting ties: Anwar and Xi attending the official dinner in honour of the Chinese President at the Seri Perdana Complex. — Bernama
Recalling his previous visit to China, Anwar said: “As I have said to you when we met in China, President Xi exemplifies a new type of persona, a leader who talks about growth and investment and economic advancement.
“He also talks about eliminating poverty and has proven his success, more importantly about shared prosperity and civilisation, which is hardly expressed by any modern leader in this world.
“We admire your tenacity and for that Malaysians welcome you, President Xi, not only as president of a great country, the President of China, but as a true friend.”
In his remarks, Xi announced a bold and shared vision for the future of China-Malaysia relations, pledging to elevate the partnership to unprecedented strategic heights.
He said both countries are committed to forging an even stronger bond, promising mutual benefits and enhanced regional prosperity.
“This marks my return to Malaysia after 12 years, during which the nation has achieved remarkable progress in its development.
“Your Madani government is steadily becoming a promising reality, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations,” he said.
Xi recalled the pivotal establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia over five decades ago, which defied the tensions of the Cold War.
He also highlighted the solidarity exhibited by both nations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Today, our two countries are working in unity to jointly build a community with a shared future. China-Malaysia relations are now entering a new golden era,” he said
The latest round of US trade tariffs unveiled on Wednesday will sap yet more vigour from a world economy barely recovered from the post-pandemic inflation surge, weighed down by record debt and unnerved by geopolitical strife.
Depending on how President Donald Trump and leaders of other nations proceed now, it may also go down as a turning point for a globalised system which until now had taken for granted the strength and reliability of America, its largest component.
“Trump’s tariffs carry the risk of destroying the global free-trade order the United States itself has spear-headed since the Second World War,” said Takahide Kiuchi, chief economist at Nomura Research Institute.
But in coming months it will be the plain and simple price-hiking – and therefore demand-dampening – effects of new levies applied to thousands of goods bought and sold by consumers and businesses across the planet that will prevail.
“I see it as a drift of the US and global economy towards worse performance, more uncertainty and possibly heading towards something we could call a global recession,” said Antonio Fatas, macroeconomist at the Insead business school in France.
“We are moving into a world which is worse for everyone because it is more inefficient,” said Fatas, who has acted as a consultant for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
Speaking in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said he would impose a 10% baseline tariff on all imports and held up a chart showing higher duties on some of the country’s biggest trading partners, including 34% on China and 20% on the European Union.
A 25% auto and auto-parts tariff was confirmed earlier.
Trump said the tariffs would return strategically vital manufacturing capabilities to the United States.
Under the new global levies imposed by Trump, the US tariff rate on all imports jumped to 22% – a rate last seen around 1910 – from just 2.5% last year, said Olu Sonola, head of US economic research at Fitch Ratings.
“This is a game changer, not only for the US economy but for the global economy,” Sonola said. “Many countries will likely end up in a recession.”
IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva told a Reuters event this week she did not see global recession for now.
She added the IMF expected shortly to make a small downward “correction” to its forecast of 3.3% global growth this year.
Different impact
But the impact on national economies is set to diverge widely, given the spectrum of tariffs ranging from 10% for Britain to 49% to Cambodia.
If the result is a wider trade war, that would have even larger repercussions for producers like China, which would be left hunting for new markets in the face of wilting consumer demand across the globe.
And if the tariffs push the United States itself towards recession, that will weigh heavily on developing countries whose fortunes are closely tied to those of the world’s largest economy.
“What happens in the United States doesn’t stay in the United States,” said Barry Eichengreen, professor of economics and political science at the University of California, Berkeley.
“The economy is too big and too connected to the rest of the world via trade and capital flows for the rest of the world to be unaffected.”
The knock-on effects for policy-makers in central banks and governments are also potentially large.
An unravelling of the supply chains which for years kept a lid on prices for consumers could lead to a world in which inflation tends to run “hotter” than the 2% which central bankers currently agree is a manageable target to aim for.
That would complicate decisions for the Bank of Japan, which may face pressure to combat too-high inflation with more interest rate hikes just as its major counterparts eye cuts, and as its export-reliant economy takes a hit from US duties.
Auto exporters Japan, hit with a 24% reciprocal tariff rate, and South Korea, which was imposed a 25% rate, have signalled plans to take emergency measures to support businesses hit by the higher US levies.
Economies with weaker output growth would leave governments struggling even more to pay down the world’s record US$318 trillion debt load and find money for budget priorities ranging from defence spending to climate action and welfare.
And what if the tariffs do not bring about Trump’s oft-stated goal of encouraging business to invest in domestic US manufacturing, given the domestic labour shortages already facing a country with close to full employment?
Some see him seeking other ways to remove the US global trade deficit that riles him so much – for example by demanding that others join in a re-balancing of foreign exchange rates to the advantage of US exporters.
Risky moves
“We are going to continue to see him putting out there potentially more risky ways of dealing with the continuous strength of the US dollar,” said Freya Beamish, chief economist at investment strategy firm TS Lombard.
Such moves could jeopardise the privileged position of the US dollar as the world reserve currency of choice – an outcome few predict, if only because there are for now no real alternatives to the US dollar.
Nonetheless, European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde on Wednesday told an event in Ireland that Europe needed to act now and accelerate economic reforms to compete in what she called an “inverted world”.
“Everyone benefited from a hegemon, the United States, that was committed to a multilateral, rules-based order,” she said of the post-Cold War era of low inflation and growing trade in an open global economy.
“Today we must contend with closure, fragmentation and uncertainty.” — Reuters
Mark John, Francesco Canepa and Leika Kihara write for Reuters. The views expressed here are the writers’ own.
China to impose tariffs of 34% on all US goods from April 10
The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China April 29, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
BEIJING: China on Friday announced a slew of additional tariffs and restrictions against U.S. goods as a countermeasure to sweeping tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Finance Ministry said it would impose additional tariffs of 34% on all U.S. goods from April 10.
Beijing also announced controls on exports of medium and heavy rare-earths, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium to the United States, effective April 4.
"The purpose of the Chinese government's implementation of export controls on relevant items in accordance with the law is to better safeguard national security and interests, and to fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation," the Commerce Ministry said in a statement.
It also added 11 entities to the "unreliable entity" list, which allows Beijing to take punitive actions against foreign entities. - Reuters
Shining Sun: Honouring Dr Sun at the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (Below) Dr Yee sharing some of the stories he was told while growing up about Dr Sun, at the Sun Yat Sen Museum. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: They are both medical doctors who share the same birthday on Nov 12.
And just like Father of Modern China the late Dr Sun Yat Sen, octogenarian Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun had embarked on a path dedicating his life to serving the people.
At 81, Dr Yee continues to work from his clinic in Lebuh Carnavon treating patients and offering consultations at a discounted rate.
The buck does not stop there as the calm and humble Dr Yee also wears many other hats being a Scout leader, JCI (Junior Chamber International) leader, St John Ambulance of Malaysia, Penang commander, UN Youth leader, senior logistician who has been actively involved in humanitarian logistics movements, holding the title of Fellow of LogM (FLogM/Senior Logistician) and the position of honorary president of LogM.
He has also been mentoring and providing opportunities to leaders, especially young ones, through his involvement with Scouts, St John, JCI, SMJKs, SJKCs, and other organisations.
Dr Yee was a King’s Scout (1961) and has received many awards from various organisations, including the government, Scouts and St John.
Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun sharing the stories he was told growing up about Dr Sun Yat Sen, during the gathering of the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (March 8, 2025) — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star.
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang had also conferred him the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN), which carries the title Datuk Seri.
Dr Yee recalled that his late grandfather had served as the Chinese political and revolutionary leader’s secretary while Dr Sun was in Penang.
“While growing up, my mother, whose birthday also fell on the same day as mine and Dr Sun’s, used to tell me about how Dr Sun had dedicated his life to serving and helping the people.
“Her stories had left a lasting impression on me and I too wanted to serve the people in some way or another.
“I adopted Dr Sun’s motto to serve the people by running a clinic and charging less so that people do not feel the pinch.
“To be able to do this, I decided to work on my own because if I worked for others, I would not be able to charge less,” he said when met at the memorial event held at the Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang in Armenian Street to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of Dr Sun.
Dr Yee also said that his maternal grandfather was an active supporter and spent most of his money on Dr Sun’s movement.
“My grandfather was a writer, and so he wrote for Dr Sun too,” he said.
Dr Yee added that despite his age, he wants to continue working to serve, just like his Dr Sun.
Businessman Dr Lawrence Khoo, in his 50s, said his grandfather was an ardent supporter of Dr Sun and had offered assistance in many ways.
“Dr Sun believed in education being of utmost importance and my grandfather as his supporter, started the Chung Ling High School and Penang Chinese Girls’ High School as well as Kwong Wah Yit Poh (a Chinese-language newspaper) here in Penang.
“We still follow his ideology that education is important and that women must be treated as equals.
“This has influenced me and I believe that we all need education and to be treated equally regardless of gender,” he said.
During the gathering, museum custodian Khoo Salma shared that a short video about how the Chinese community from other countries remember Dr Sun will be released on March 12, the actual death anniversary.
“Dr Sun was the towering figure of his time and the first provisional president of the China republic.
“He was a man with a vision who never gave up,” she said.
At the museum, Khoo said they share his (Dr Sun’s) story daily with visitors.
“This keeps his story alive.”
Born in 1866 in Guangdong province in China, Dr Sun studied medicine in Hong Kong and became a doctor.
He started his revolutionary career in 1894 and staged his first uprising in China a year later after forming Xing Zhong Hui in Honolulu.
He travelled around the world in search of support and came to Penang five times from 1906 to 1912.
Often called the “Father of Modern China”, Dr Sun played a key role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.
He was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was established in 1912.
He passed away on March 12, 1925, after battling cancer.
Sun Yat-sen at 100: The revolutionary who shaped modern China
Wednesday, March 12, marks 100 years since the death of Chinese revolutionary and politician Sun Yat-sen, the “Father of the Nation.”
Sun was a Chinese revolutionary leader and political philosopher, often referred to as the "Father of Modern China" for his pivotal role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the Republic of China. Born on November 12, 1866, in Cuiheng Village, Guangdong Province, Sun received a Western-style education in Hawaii and later studied medicine in Hong Kong. His exposure to Western ideas and the decline of the Qing dynasty fueled his determination to reform China.
Sun founded the Revive China Society in 1894, advocating for the overthrow of the Qing and the establishment of a modern republic. His revolutionary efforts culminated in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, which ended over 2,000 years of imperial rule. On January 1, 1912, Sun was inaugurated as the provisional president of the Republic of China, though he soon stepped aside to promote unity.
Sun's political philosophy, the Three Principles of the People (nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood), became the foundation of Chinese governance. Despite facing numerous challenges, including warlordism and foreign intervention, Sun remained committed to unifying China and modernizing its society. He reorganized the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, or KMT) and formed alliances with the Communist Party of China to strengthen the revolutionary movement.
Sun passed away on March 12, 1925, in Beijing, leaving behind a legacy of revolution and reform. His ideas continue to influence both Taiwan and mainland China, where he is revered as a unifying figure.
Sun Yat-sen expressed his support for Zionism in a letter sent to N.E.B. Ezra, 24 April 1920. (credit: Abraham Schwadron Autograph Collection/National Library of Israel)
The Zionism letter
There was also a fascinating discovery back in 2021, when a letter written by Sun to a Shanghai Jew expressed support for the Zionist cause.
In the letter, dated April 24, 1920, Sun voiced his enthusiastic backing for Zionism, describing it as “one of the greatest movements of the present time.”
"[I] wish to assure you of my sympathy for this movement – which is one of the greatest movements of the present time," Yat-sen's letters reads. "All lovers of Democracy cannot help but support whole-heartedly and welcome with enthusiasm the movement to restore your wonderful and historic nation, which has contributed so much to the civilization of the world and which rightfully deserve [sic] an honorable place in the family of nations."
It was addressed to N.E.B. Ezra, a prominent writer, publisher, and the founder of the Shanghai Zionist Association.
Sun is celebrated for his role in shaping modern Chinese history, and while his endorsement of Zionism has long been documented and the contents of the letter were previously known, the original signed copy has only recently been rediscovered, more than a century after it was written.
nternal records from the National Library indicate that the letter was in its collection since at least 1938, though it was never publicly cataloged or accessible to researchers until now. The exact path by which the letter arrived at the library remains unclear.
“N.E.B. Ezra passed away in 1936. The letter’s arrival by 1938 suggests that Ezra himself may have donated it, or someone else sent it to the library after recognizing its historical importance,” National Library archivist Rachel Misrati stated at the time.
Sun and other Chinese leaders maintained warm relations with Jewish communities and figures, both locally and internationally. Many of these connections were forged during Sun’s years of exile before the Qing dynasty’s fall. A notable example is Morris “Two-Gun” Cohen, a Polish-born Jewish bodyguard and advisor to Sun, who was also a staunch Zionist.
Sun’s support for Zionism was not unique among national leaders of the time. Many prominent political figures expressed similar sentiments, driven by both ideological alignment and practical considerations - in 1946, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh spent several days staying in the same hotel as David Ben-Gurion in Paris, where the two would often visit each other.
Legacy
Sun Yat-sen is still widely revered in Taiwan as the founding father of the Republic of China (ROC), though his legacy has evolved over time. His status remains prominent in official state narratives, but the way he is perceived has changed, particularly as Taiwanese identity has developed over the years.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of the mainland has also claimed Sun Yat-sen as part of its own revolutionary lineage, portraying him as an early forerunner of communism who opposed imperialism and laid the groundwork for modern China.
