When asked if China and Japan will continue their international cooperation on giant panda conservation as Wakayama's four giant pandas will soon return to China and Japan's only remaining two giant pandas in Tokyo's Ueno Zoo will also return to China in February next year, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday that giant pandas are a precious endangered wild species and are loved by people around the world. They are emissaries of friendship from the people of China.
China and Japan have established sound cooperation ties since our two sides carried out international cooperation on giant panda conservation and research and have had positive cooperation on giant panda breeding, research, technical exchanges and public education, Guo said.
Such effort has played an important role for enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples, the spokesperson added.
"Looking forward, we stand ready to continue enhancing exchanges and cooperation with Japan and other partners in the world to jointly contribute to the protection of endangered species," the spokesperson noted.
Large crowds of fans gathered from the early morning on Friday, the last day the four pandas at Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, could be seen by the public before the animals return to China, the Japan News reported.
The pandas, which were born and raised at the theme park, are scheduled to depart on Saturday, according to the report.
About 1,400 visitors lined up on Friday morning, prompting the park to open an hour earlier than usual, the Japan News said.
After the pandas return to China, only two pandas will remain in Japan, both at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. The two in Tokyo are also scheduled to return to China by February 20 next year, the Japanese media report said.
People were seen taking pictures of the pandas, calling out their names and waving at them, NHK said.
One visitor said she wanted her children to see the pandas one last time. Another person said she hopes the pandas will stay healthy and will be looked after well in China, according to NHK.
Chinese archaeologists have uncovered 156 new remains and more than 500 precious artifacts at the Jiaopuxiang site in Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, providing evidence that humans have been active in the area since the pre-Qin period, China Culture Daily reported on Saturday.
The Jiaopuxiang site is located in the Nanda street, Zhonglou district, at the intersection of the Grand Canal and the historic axis of the old city in Changzhou. Excavated across an area of approximately 3,000 square meters, the site is surrounded by other notable heritage landmarks.
Among the 156 unearthed objects, significant finds include roads and ditches from the Six Dynasties period (220-589), tamped-earth city walls and moats, streets and drainage facilities from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Five Dynasties (907-960) eras, as well as large Song Dynasty (960-1279) buildings and courtyards. Meanwhile, two Song Dynasty building foundations were also uncovered.
One, located on the east side of the excavation, consists of seven square pillar bases measuring approximately 15.2 meters long and 4 meters wide, and is possibly linked to the historic Liedi Temple ancestral hall. The other is a well-preserved three-courtyard, five-bay structure facing the Grand Canal, measuring about 25 meters east-west and 17.5 meters north-south, with 16 square pillar bases remaining. Researchers believe it may have served as a military drill ground or an official temple complex during the Song Dynasty.
Beyond these discoveries, more than 500 artifacts from the Spring and Autumn period (770BC-476BC) to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties were unearthed at the site, including ceramics, pottery, metalwork, lacquerware, bone and horn tools, and stone implements.
Although no cultural layers or structures from the Spring and Autumn period were found, stone adzes and pottery shards at the bottom of some refuse pits indicate human presence as far back as the pre-Qin era.
According to China Culture Daily, the excavation at Jiaopuxiang systematically reveals the historical layers and cultural depth of Changzhou's old city. Additionally, the discovery holds significant value for research into the urban development of cities in the Jiangnan region and the origins of regional civilization in Jiangsu.
According to historical records, Changzhou was fortified on a large scale during the late Tang and Five Dynasties period with three layers of walls, the "inner city," "outer city," and "outermost wall." The newly uncovered wall segment between the outer city and the outermost wall, closely aligned with the course of the Grand Canal, not only revises the known history of Changzhou's urban defenses but also provides new material for the study of ancient city walls and fortification techniques.
In response to Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's first so-called "10 Talks on the Country" speech, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, issued a strong rebuke, stating that Lai's remarks were filled with lies and deception, hostility and provocation, and his distortions of history, reality, and legal principles will only be swept into the dustbin of history.
Chen noted that the speech deliberately distorted and fragmented history, aggressively promoted separatist "Taiwan independence" fallacies, and attempted to fabricate a theoretical basis for "Taiwan independence" in order to justify his political agenda, including advancing a so-called "mass recall" campaign for personal political gain.
The speech was a blatant "Taiwan independence manifesto," inciting confrontation across the Straits, and was also a patchwork of deeply flawed and misguided separatist rhetoric, which fully exposed Lai's obstinate nature as a die-hard "Taiwan independence" advocate, said Chen.
Chen said Lai deliberately distorted the island of Taiwan's history in his speech, denying the historical fact that the island has been part of China since ancient times. He rejected the reality that the indigenous peoples of Taiwan originally migrated from the Chinese mainland and ignored the long-standing administrative governance of Taiwan by successive Chinese governments. Such statements, Chen stressed, are a blatant distortion and trampling of history.
Chen also noted that that Lai turned a blind eye to the historic sacrifices made by people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits who united to resist foreign aggression and restore Taiwan to the motherland. Chen condemned Lai for attempting to associate the patriotic feelings of Taiwan compatriots with the notion of "Taiwan independence," calling it a betrayal of and crime against Taiwan's proud patriotic tradition and the legacy of countless martyrs who sacrificed themselves.
Chen further criticized Lai for deliberately misrepresenting key historical facts and legal documents. He said Lai attempted to erase the victorious outcomes of World War II, dismissed internationally binding legal documents such as the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, and distorted UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. By falsely claiming that "Taiwan does not belong to China" and promoting the idea of "non-subordination" between the two sides, Lai openly challenged the authority of international law, Chen said.
He added that Lai's inflammatory remarks disregarded the strong desire of the Taiwan public for peace, development, exchanges, and cooperation. Instead, Lai exaggerated the so-called "mainland threat," promoted a set of "17 counter-strategies," advocated confrontation with the mainland, intensified "green terror," and sought to obstruct cross-Straits exchanges — all of which run counter to public sentiment and the will of the people.
"History cannot be falsified, facts cannot be denied, and truth cannot be reversed," Chen said. He reiterated that all historical, factual, and legal evidence confirms that Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times. Archaeological discoveries and historical records demonstrate that the Chinese people were the earliest to develop Taiwan. From the Song and Yuan dynasties onward, successive central governments established administrative control over the island. In 1885, Taiwan was designated as a province by the Qing Dynasty — the 20th province of China at the time.
Chen recalled that Japan's occupation of Taiwan in 1895 was a result of the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki, but post-WWII international agreements reversed that outcome. The 1943 Cairo Declaration, 1945 Potsdam Proclamation, and Japan's instrument of surrender all stipulated that Taiwan must be returned to China. On October 25, 1945, the Chinese government recovered Taiwan and resumed sovereignty over the island. With the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, it became the sole legitimate government of China and the only legal representative of China in the international community. The government of the People's Republic of China naturally and fully enjoys and exercises sovereignty over Taiwan., Chen noted.
He added that subsequent political documents between China and Japan also reaffirmed Taiwan's return to China. "Taiwan has never been a country, and it is an integral part of China," he stressed. "The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations and a widely recognized consensus in the international community."
"Taiwan's future can only be decided by the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan," he said. "No matter how hard Lai tries, he cannot change the legal fact that Taiwan is part of China, shake the international consensus on the one-China principle, or stop the inevitable trend of national reunification," Chen added.
Tuesday marked the first anniversary of Lai Ching-te's tenure as the leader of Taiwan.
The 65-year-old spent his first year in office taking actions that undermined cross-Strait peace and stability and harmed the island's overall well-being -- revealing his true colors as a stubborn separatist.
With Lai as the leader, Taiwan grapples with protracted social and economic challenges and the Taiwan Strait has been turned into a tinderbox of heightened tensions.
A recent poll released by Taiwan's United Daily News shows that among those surveyed, more than half expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the island's leader and believed that Taiwan's society has become more divided.
Over the past few days, protesters took to the streets in large numbers in Taipei, Taichung and other cities on the island, voicing anger over what they see as poor governance and ineffective policymaking by Taiwan authorities.
What follows is a review of six grave mistakes Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) made over the past year.
AGGRAVATED SEPARATIST NARRATIVES
Having openly rejected the 1992 Consensus, which affirms the one-China principle, Lai brought out a new version of the "two states" theory, asserting that the two sides of the Strait do not belong to each other, upon assuming the role of Taiwan region's leader on May 20, 2024.
During the past year in office, Lai has used various statements and actions to clearly express this view. In March, Lai went further to portray the mainland as a "hostile external force" and outline 17 strategies to counter so-called threats facing the island.
Earlier this month, Taiwan's executive body removed explicit recognition of the Han people -- the majority ethnic group in both Taiwan and the Chinese mainland -- from the island's official demographic profile. The move was part of a broader scheme aimed at severing the historical and cultural ties between the island and the mainland.
Lai's separatist rhetoric and actions have repeatedly provoked the mainland, prompting countermeasures and escalating tensions across the Strait.
SABOTAGING CROSS-STRAIT EXCHANGES
The DPP authorities led by Lai have maintained the ban on group travel to the mainland, restricted direct flights, and prohibited collaborations between Taiwan-based institutions and 10 mainland universities.
Lai proposed policies to investigate Taiwan residents holding mainland identity documents, expand the scope of scrutiny over Taiwan artists' remarks and behaviors, and establish a review system targeting cross-Strait exchanges in religion, culture and education.
In Taiwan, groups and individuals who support reunification and cross-Strait exchanges are facing harassment and business people are discouraged from investing in the mainland, while pro-DPP media have launched smear campaigns vilifying cross-Strait cooperation.
ENFORCING POLITICAL PERSECUTION
Taiwan's democracy and rule of law are in decline, as Lai's DPP has increasingly suppressed political opponents, silenced dissenting voices, and restricted freedom of expression.
Given that the DPP's campaign color is green, many in Taiwan have begun referring to its recent authoritarian tactics as "green authoritarianism."
The primary targets of this crackdown are those who oppose "Taiwan independence" and advocate for closer cross-Strait relations.
One high-profile case involved a woman from the mainland, known online as "Yaya," who married a man in Taiwan and publicly expressed support for China's reunification. Her residence permit was revoked by the DPP authorities, and she was forced to leave, separating her from her husband and three children. Similar measures were imposed on two other mainland spouses.
NEGLECTING THE PUBLIC'S BASIC NEEDS
Under the leadership of Lai, chronic issues in Taiwan, such as power shortage, water scarcity, wealth inequality, and imbalanced industrial development, are worsening, while supply shortages of daily necessities and frequent price surges have occurred periodically.
The DPP authorities' rash decision to phase out nuclear energy amid an ongoing energy crisis sparked public outrage, with critics accusing the DPP of "powering Taiwan with lies, not electricity."
Instead of addressing these problems, Lai has diverted significant resources toward political vendettas, including orchestrating recall campaigns against opposition lawmakers.
SELLING OUT TAIWAN
To obtain support for his separatist cause from the United States, Lai has willingly sacrificed Taiwan's interests.
Key industries like semiconductor heavyweight TSMC are pressured to relocate to the United States, risking industrial hollowing-out in Taiwan, while few measures were taken to counter the unfair tariff demands from the United States.
Local residents have bluntly condemned the DPP authorities for "emptying Taiwan's coffers to serve as an American ATM."
DISTORTING INTERNATIONAL LAW
Since taking office, Lai has openly challenged the international community's fundamental adherence to the one-China principle and the post-WWII international order by claiming that U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 "does not mention Taiwan" and the People's Republic of China "has no right to represent Taiwan."
He also continued his predecessors' practices by manipulating the issue of Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) to advance his separatist agenda.
However, the proposal on Taiwan's participation as an observer was rejected by the WHA.
Over the past year, Lai and his followers have exploited the so-called "stopover" trips to collude with external forces and attempted to form ideologically-driven economic cliques that disrupt global trade order.
He sought to secure external forces' endorsement of his separatist agenda, fabricating the notion of so-called "international space" in the attempt to mislead the international community.
May 20 and 21 have become peak days for marriage registrations in China following the implementation of a new nationwide marriage registration policy. A representative of the marriage registration service center of the Civil Affairs Bureau of Beijing's Dongcheng District told the Global Times that 350 and 450 couples had made appointments for marriage registration on these two days respectively this year, nearly double the number from 2024.
May 20 and May 21 are especially popular dates for couples to tie the knot, as the number "520" and "521" both sound phonetically similar to "I love you" in Chinese, making them symbolic "days of love" for many.
Many netizens expressed frustration at not being able to secure appointments due to the overwhelming popularity of the date.
"I waited two hours and still couldn't get a slot," one netizen wrote on Chinese social media platform RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu. Others said even making reservations a month in advance was insufficient.
Beijing-based Lin Luwen told the Global Times she plans to register her marriage on Wednesday, though she found the time slots were nearly fully booked when checking the system a week earlier.
"The registry office has created special decorations for this marriage registration peak," she said. "This feels like the perfect time for my fiancé and me to get our marriage certificate - it's romantic and will surely become a cherished memory."
To better accommodate the demand, a representative from the marriage registration service center of the Civil Affairs Bureau of Beijing's Dongcheng District, surnamed Li, noted that couples who fail to secure an online appointment but meet the necessary requirements will still be accepted for registration after those with appointments.
Meanwhile, staff at civil affairs bureaus in many regions also adjusted their working hours in advance to accommodate the surge in marriage registrations, including several cities in East China's Jiangsu Province, according to a local media outlet in Jiangsu.
A Beijing-based white-collar worker surnamed Xiong, who registered for marriage on Tuesday, also mentioned the adjusted schedule. She told the Global Times, "I arrived at a civil affairs bureau in Beijing's Chaoyang district around 8 am because I received a message yesterday saying the bureau had adjusted its opening time to 8 am for Tuesday."
When it comes to the actual registration process, she said that she only needed to hand in her and her husband's IDs and three red-background photos and sign some paperwork. "The entire process was efficient and was completed in around 10 minutes," she said.
In addition, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday that electronic marriage certificates can now be acquired by couples on China's national integrated online government service platform.
Electronic marriage certificates are already being used in various scenarios such as household registration, real estate registration, housing loan applications, and home purchase eligibility reviews.
China's revised marriage registration regulations came into effect on May 10, simplifying the procedure for marriage registration and allowing couples to register anywhere in the country regardless of their hukou household registration locations, according to a previous report.
The simplification of the marriage registration process has led to an increase in the number of couples getting married. According to The Paper on Tuesday, civil affairs departments in Shanghai have seen a surge in appointments from couples across the country following the implementation of the new nationwide policy.
China is expected to see 2.15 million daily border crossings during the upcoming five-day May Day holidays, representing a 27 percent increase from last year, according to the National Immigration Administration on Monday. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said that popular international destinations for Chinese tourists include Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.
The peak of cross-border travel is anticipated on May 1 and May 5. Traffic at China's major international airports is set to grow steadily, with Shanghai Pudong expected to lead with 101,000 daily crossings, followed by Guangzhou Baiyun at 50,000 and Beijing Capital at 45,000, the administration said, according to the Xinhua News Agency on Monday.
The passenger volume for domestic flights is expected to reach a record of 10.75 million, marking an 8 percent increase from 2024. Peak travel days at the start and end of the holidays are expected to exceed 2.3 million passengers, according to Shang Kejia, a deputy director general of the CAAC Air Transport Department.
For domestic routes, the majority of travelers are concentrated on key routes between the four major city clusters: Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao and Chengdu-Chongqing. So far, the highest booking volumes have been on routes between Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, as well as between Beijing and Shenzhen or Chengdu, Shang said.
Regarding international routes, popular destinations remain Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. Shang also said that with the continued optimization of entry and transit visa policies and the gradual rollout of services like instant tax refunds, the number of inbound foreign tourists is expected to rise, prompting international airlines to increase flight frequencies.
China unveiled a set of measures on Sunday to further optimize its departure tax refund policy to meet overseas tourists' needs better and expand inbound consumption, Xinhua reported.
Responding to a question on the trending topic "China Shopping" alongside the continued facilitation of inbound tourism and the departure tax refund policy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the robust spending by inbound tourists reflects China's efforts in easing visa policies, enhancing payment accessibility, and streamlining the tax refund policy, as well as the sincerity of China's commitment to continued opening-up and bringing benefits to all countries.
Commenting on media reports that inbound tourism bookings have increased by 173 percent year-on-year for the upcoming May Day holidays, Guo said that "we welcome more foreign friends to come to China, enjoy their time here, and let high-quality, competitively priced 'Made in China' products enter every household, benefiting more people."
During the May Day holidays, the outbound tourism market has seen a gradual increase in popularity compared to last year, the Global Times learned from travel platform Trip.com.
Data from travel platform Fliggy confirmed this trend, and showed that the per capita booking volume for outbound travel products has increased 12 percent year-on-year, with air tickets and hotel bookings significantly surpassing last year's figures, while attraction ticket bookings surged 150 percent.
Benefiting from increased flight routes and visa facilitation policies, some short- and medium-haul outbound destinations have become popular choices for Chinese travelers during the holidays, according to Li.
"I decided to vacation in Indonesia's Bali a few months ago because the flight tickets are more cost-effective, the tourism industry there is well-developed," a Beijing resident surnamed Lin told the Global Times on Monday.
In addition to flight prices, this year's May Day holidays coincide with Japan's "Golden Week," causing a significant rise in hotel prices in Japan, according to the Trip.com. This has sparked widespread discussion among travelers, with many claiming, "The more you search for hotels, the more expensive they get — it's definitely the platform taking advantage of us!"
However, a representative surnamed Li from Trip.com explained to the Global Times that this is not an example of "big data manipulation" but rather a result of the basic principles of market supply and demand. The surge in travelers during the May Day holidays has led to a shortage of available hotel rooms, prompting real-time price adjustments by hotels, not an intentional price increase triggered by repeated searches.
Besides, "the ticket prices are adjusted by the airline's revenue management system based on market supply and demand dynamics, and social media comments are not part of the pricing considerations," the representative added, dismissing such claims as pseudoscience.
Additionally, Fliggy said that personalized experience-based activities have gained traction. Anime-themed experiences and light adventure activities are particularly popular among travelers, with bookings for such "scenario-based services" seeing a strong demand.
A fan of anime culture surnamed Liu said she planned to visit Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture in Japan for photography and shopping, as the town served as a setting for one of her favorite animated series.
"There is a local hotel that even has specially decorated anime-themed rooms, and there are officially licensed shops selling limited-edition collaboration merchandise," Liu added.
Based on data from Trip.com, alongside usual hotspots like Japan, South Korea, and some Southeast Asian countries, emerging destinations such as Qatar, Austria and Kazakhstan have climbed the rankings due to their unique tourism offerings, reflecting a diversification trend in outbound travel consumption.
Hungary won't reduce its economic ties with China, the nation's minister of economy said, in the clearest sign yet that Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government won't bow to US pressure to distance itself from Beijing, according to Bloomberg on Monday.
Chinese analysts see this reaction from Budapest as "emblematic of a broader sentiment in Europe" and is likely to prompt more European countries to follow suit.
According to Bloomberg, Hungary's Economy Minister Marton Nagy told reporters in Budapest on Monday that "We don't see an investment potential from the US that would be on par with China… We have a very pragmatic position."
The latest development came as the US has been pressuring Hungary to reduce its reliance on China, after the Asian nation became a key partner for Budapest in the electric vehicle industry as well as in telecommunications.
Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on Friday urged Hungary and other east European nations with Chinese links to choose the US instead as its main economic partner, according to Bloomberg.
Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Hungary's reaction is easy to understand and within expectation, noting that the European country's economic growth in foreign cooperation over the past decade has been driven primarily by China.
For instance, recent collaborations between China and Hungary in electric vehicles and green energy have achieved remarkable success, Cui said.
According to the Xinhua News Agency in January, China accounted for the largest share of foreign investments in Hungary in 2024, with seven Chinese projects contributing nearly half of the year's total investment value.
From Hungary's perspective, there is no reason to force a binary choice between China and the US, Cui said, pointing out that the US faces not only domestic economic uncertainties but also political unpredictability in its foreign relations.
"As long as Hungary acts in its own interests and pursues long-term, foreseeable goals, it has no reason to yield to what amounts to US coercion or unreasonable demands," Cui said.
"Hungary's stance is emblematic of a broader sentiment in Europe," Cui said.
Similarly, British Chancellor Rachel Reeves said recently that it would be "very foolish" for Britain to disengage with China, Daily Mail reported on April 19. The report noted that Reeves "attempts to draw a line in the sand with the US over their treatment of Beijing."
The fact that even a longstanding ally like the UK, often considered the US' staunchest partner, has made such a statement, is a proof that the US' zero-sum logic and hegemonic tactics are losing credibility across Europe, Cui said.
"Faced with US pressure to choose sides, I believe more European countries will respond similarly to Hungary," he noted.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China is ready to work with the Malaysian side to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future, so as to usher in new "Golden 50 Years" for bilateral ties, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar during a state visit to the country. Prior to their meeting, Sultan Ibrahim held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi.
During the meeting, Xi pointed out that China and Malaysia are good neighbors, good friends and good partners who visit each other as often as family. Bilateral relations have gone through a magnificent half-century and are embracing an even brighter future, he added.
Sultan Ibrahim said he believes that Xi's visit will comprehensively upgrade bilateral relations and promote vigorous development of cooperation in various fields, adding that China's impressive development achievements are attributable to the foresight of President Xi and the hard work of the Chinese people.
On Wednesday afternoon, Xi held talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Xi said he is ready to work with Anwar to boost the high-level and strategic development of China-Malaysia community with a shared future. During the meeting, Xi put forward a three-point proposal on building a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with shared future, Xinhua reported.
First, Xi urged the two countries to adhere to strategic independence and carry out high-level strategic coordination. Second, both countries should build synergy for development and set a model for high-quality development cooperation, Xi said. Third, Xi called for both sides to carry forward their friendship from generation to generation and deepen exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations, according to Xinhua.
Following the talks, China and Malaysia exchanged more than 30 bilateral cooperation documents, covering cooperation in areas such as the three global initiatives, digital economy, trade in services, upgrading and development of "two countries, twin parks," joint laboratories, artificial intelligence, railways, intellectual property rights, agricultural products exports to China, mutual visa exemption and panda conservation, according to Xinhua.
Xi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday for a state visit, the second leg of his three-nation Southeast Asia tour. The Chinese President's visit to the country, his second in the past 12 years, has drawn warm welcomes and positive reactions from all sectors of Malaysian society.
Key outcomes
"President Xi's visit brings key outcomes at a critical moment. The interactions between Chinese and Malaysian leaders signify the deepening of mutual political trust," Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific and a former minister of transport of Malaysia, told the Global Times on Wednesday. "It also marks the success of China's neighborhood diplomacy."
During the meeting with Sultan Ibrahim on Wednesday morning, Xi said that the two sides should deepen the synergy of development strategies, draw on each other's strengths for mutual benefit and win-win results, and jointly pursue modernization.
He called on the two sides to ensure good implementation of major projects such as the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" program and the East Coast Rail Link, and to actively foster cooperation in future industries such as artificial intelligence, digital economy and the green economy, according to Xinhua.
China welcomes more high-quality Malaysian agricultural products to the Chinese market, and encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Malaysia, Xi said.
Also during meeting with Anwar, Xi 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.
He also called for responding to the law of the jungle with Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, and responding to the unstable and uncertain world with stable and certain Asia. Xi added that China stands ready to work with countries in the region to sign the upgrade protocol of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area at an early date.
Anwar said that ASEAN will not endorse any unilaterally imposed tariffs, and will promote collective advancement through cooperation to maintain economic growth. Facing the rise of unilateralism, Malaysia is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to jointly address risks and challenges, Anwar added.
In 2024, China-Malaysia trade reached $212 billion, and China has been Malaysia's No.1 trading partner for 16 consecutive years. In terms of investment cooperation, to date, the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park has received a total investment of over 11 billion yuan, according to official Chinese data.
Many in Malaysia have praised growing ties between China and Malaysia and have expressed earnest hope for greater trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Zariman, a resident in Kuala Lumpur who has conducted businesses with China in areas such as durian exports, was watching live television coverage of the welcome ceremony at the National Palace on a small screen on the dashboard of his car on Wednesday morning.
He told the Global Times that he has been paying great attention to the state visit because he believes China-Malaysia cooperation is so important, especially under the current international situation with growing trade bullying from the US. "It's important that in trade… everyone should benefit. All the countries have their sovereignty and there should be mutual respect," he said, adding that threatening other countries "is uncivilized in the modern world."
These sentiments have been echoed by many local residents in Kuala Lumpur, with many bringing up the issue of US tariffs, while stressing the importance of trade and economic cooperation between China and Malaysia.
Successful example
Ong said that deepening and implementing the China-Malaysia community with a shared future not only benefits the two countries, but it has also set a successful example for the economic integration of China and ASEAN, and the building of a community with a shared future between China and ASEAN in the future.
During the meeting with Sultan Ibrahim, Xi said that China supports Malaysia in its role as ASEAN chair and stands ready to work with Malaysia to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, according to Xinhua.
Malaysia holds the chairmanship of ASEAN this year and "can play a pivotal role in coordinating and connecting ASEAN member states' interactions with China," Ong said, adding that China-ASEAN cooperation can go beyond the existing economic and trade partnership, further deepen the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and they cooperate in the promotion of China's three major global initiatives in Southeast Asia, in conjunction with the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision.
Zhong Feiteng, a researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the remarkably positive reaction to the state visit demonstrates the growing international image of China as a defender of fairness and justice, and a promotor of peace and development amid certain global conflicts and growing trade tensions.
In contrast to the US' role in some conflicts such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, "China stands on the side of international fairness and justice… and the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative are in line with the actual needs of Malaysia," Zhong told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that amid global turmoil sparked by the US, "China's rise has brought stability" for the world.
Also criticizing the US' "unprecedented economic bullying," Ong said that China's approach of neighborhood diplomacy is conducive to regional development and peace.
"Building a community with a shared future is an integral part of China's neighborhood diplomacy, rooted in the principles of amity, sincerity, [mutual benefit] and inclusiveness. It goes far beyond sheer economics. It constitutes a multi-dimensional partnership allowing good neighborliness to create a conducive environment for economic development. The prosperity accrued therefrom will further bolster peace across the region," Ong said. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China is ready to work with the Malaysian side to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future, so as to usher in new "Golden 50 Years" for bilateral ties, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar during a state visit to the country. Prior to their meeting, Sultan Ibrahim held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi.
During the meeting, Xi pointed out that China and Malaysia are good neighbors, good friends and good partners who visit each other as often as family. Bilateral relations have gone through a magnificent half-century and are embracing an even brighter future, he added.
Sultan Ibrahim said he believes that Xi's visit will comprehensively upgrade bilateral relations and promote vigorous development of cooperation in various fields, adding that China's impressive development achievements are attributable to the foresight of President Xi and the hard work of the Chinese people.
On Wednesday afternoon, Xi held talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Xi said he is ready to work with Anwar to boost the high-level and strategic development of China-Malaysia community with a shared future. During the meeting, Xi put forward a three-point proposal on building a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with shared future, Xinhua reported.
First, Xi urged the two countries to adhere to strategic independence and carry out high-level strategic coordination. Second, both countries should build synergy for development and set a model for high-quality development cooperation, Xi said. Third, Xi called for both sides to carry forward their friendship from generation to generation and deepen exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations, according to Xinhua.
Following the talks, China and Malaysia exchanged more than 30 bilateral cooperation documents, covering cooperation in areas such as the three global initiatives, digital economy, trade in services, upgrading and development of "two countries, twin parks," joint laboratories, artificial intelligence, railways, intellectual property rights, agricultural products exports to China, mutual visa exemption and panda conservation, according to Xinhua.
Xi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday for a state visit, the second leg of his three-nation Southeast Asia tour. The Chinese President's visit to the country, his second in the past 12 years, has drawn warm welcomes and positive reactions from all sectors of Malaysian society.
Key outcomes
"President Xi's visit brings key outcomes at a critical moment. The interactions between Chinese and Malaysian leaders signify the deepening of mutual political trust," Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific and a former minister of transport of Malaysia, told the Global Times on Wednesday. "It also marks the success of China's neighborhood diplomacy."
During the meeting with Sultan Ibrahim on Wednesday morning, Xi said that the two sides should deepen the synergy of development strategies, draw on each other's strengths for mutual benefit and win-win results, and jointly pursue modernization.
He called on the two sides to ensure good implementation of major projects such as the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" program and the East Coast Rail Link, and to actively foster cooperation in future industries such as artificial intelligence, digital economy and the green economy, according to Xinhua.
China welcomes more high-quality Malaysian agricultural products to the Chinese market, and encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Malaysia, Xi said.
Also during meeting with Anwar, Xi 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.
He also called for responding to the law of the jungle with Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, and responding to the unstable and uncertain world with stable and certain Asia. Xi added that China stands ready to work with countries in the region to sign the upgrade protocol of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area at an early date.
Anwar said that ASEAN will not endorse any unilaterally imposed tariffs, and will promote collective advancement through cooperation to maintain economic growth. Facing the rise of unilateralism, Malaysia is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to jointly address risks and challenges, Anwar added.
In 2024, China-Malaysia trade reached $212 billion, and China has been Malaysia's No.1 trading partner for 16 consecutive years. In terms of investment cooperation, to date, the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park has received a total investment of over 11 billion yuan, according to official Chinese data.
Many in Malaysia have praised growing ties between China and Malaysia and have expressed earnest hope for greater trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Zariman, a resident in Kuala Lumpur who has conducted businesses with China in areas such as durian exports, was watching live television coverage of the welcome ceremony at the National Palace on a small screen on the dashboard of his car on Wednesday morning.
He told the Global Times that he has been paying great attention to the state visit because he believes China-Malaysia cooperation is so important, especially under the current international situation with growing trade bullying from the US. "It's important that in trade… everyone should benefit. All the countries have their sovereignty and there should be mutual respect," he said, adding that threatening other countries "is uncivilized in the modern world."
These sentiments have been echoed by many local residents in Kuala Lumpur, with many bringing up the issue of US tariffs, while stressing the importance of trade and economic cooperation between China and Malaysia.
Successful example
Ong said that deepening and implementing the China-Malaysia community with a shared future not only benefits the two countries, but it has also set a successful example for the economic integration of China and ASEAN, and the building of a community with a shared future between China and ASEAN in the future.
During the meeting with Sultan Ibrahim, Xi said that China supports Malaysia in its role as ASEAN chair and stands ready to work with Malaysia to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, according to Xinhua.
Malaysia holds the chairmanship of ASEAN this year and "can play a pivotal role in coordinating and connecting ASEAN member states' interactions with China," Ong said, adding that China-ASEAN cooperation can go beyond the existing economic and trade partnership, further deepen the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and they cooperate in the promotion of China's three major global initiatives in Southeast Asia, in conjunction with the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision.
Zhong Feiteng, a researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the remarkably positive reaction to the state visit demonstrates the growing international image of China as a defender of fairness and justice, and a promotor of peace and development amid certain global conflicts and growing trade tensions.
In contrast to the US' role in some conflicts such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, "China stands on the side of international fairness and justice… and the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative are in line with the actual needs of Malaysia," Zhong told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that amid global turmoil sparked by the US, "China's rise has brought stability" for the world.
Also criticizing the US' "unprecedented economic bullying," Ong said that China's approach of neighborhood diplomacy is conducive to regional development and peace.
"Building a community with a shared future is an integral part of China's neighborhood diplomacy, rooted in the principles of amity, sincerity, [mutual benefit] and inclusiveness. It goes far beyond sheer economics. It constitutes a multi-dimensional partnership allowing good neighborliness to create a conducive environment for economic development. The prosperity accrued therefrom will further bolster peace across the region," Ong said.
"Dear younger brother, since you've been away for years and we haven't been in touch, I don't know how things are going. I trust the whole family is safe, happy, and everything is going smoothly… All your brothers and sisters back home are well. Wishing you good health."
Inside the home of Hong Sereiparinha, also known by his Chinese name Hong Zhihao, a young man from Cambodia, Global Times reporters read a heartfelt letter sent from his hometown Jieyang, South China's Guangdong Province. In its lines, they saw the profound friendship rooted in history and people-to-people connections between China and Cambodia.
Jieyang is Hong's ancestral hometown. His great-grandparents brought his grandfather - then just six years old - to Cambodia in search of a better life. Although he is a fourth-generation Chinese Cambodian, 26-year-old Hong speaks fluent Putonghua. He told Global Times reporters that he speaks Teochew dialect at home, and began learning Putonghua since middle school. He later studied in the Chinese Department of the Royal University of Phnom Penh, and now works at the Cambodian Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Hong's home is adorned with traditional Chinese calligraphy artworks featuring phrases like "Ma Dao Cheng Gong (Success upon arrival)" "Cai Yuan Gun Gun (Wealth flows in)," and "Fu (Good fortune)." Hong also showed reporters the carefully preserved family letters - they not only reflect the deep familial bond, but also symbolize the profound ties between the two countries. One letter, written by the cousin of Hong's grandfather, caught the reporters' attention with the words "People's Daily Overseas Edition." It read: Dear Cousin, Jieyang has become a newly established city, with rapidly developing infrastructure and convenient transportation. The People's Daily Overseas Edition reported that Jieyang is a gem for foreign investors. In just over a year since becoming a city, foreign investments have reached $1.5 billion. Please visit your hometown Jieyang, do some sightseeing, and perhaps discuss some business. Wishing peace in both places. Your cousin."
Hong said he was amazed that in an era with limited communication tools, people still found ways through letters to stay informed about China's economic developments. He added that, "The letter mentions Jieyang's rapid growth and the influx of foreign investment. The invitation to 'discuss business while visiting' was probably a way of seeking out business opportunities."
In November 2020, Hong Zhihao won first prize in the 10th "Jiangsu Cup" Chinese Speech Contest and Chinese Talent Competition organized by the Confucius Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia. As a reward, he was offered a one-week educational visit in East China's Jiangsu Province. The trip was delayed until 2023 due to the pandemic.
Hong recalled visiting Nanjing, Suzhou, and Shanghai. "We sampled dishes like Shizitou (Lion's Head, a traditional Chinese dish featuring braised pork meatballs), and osmanthus cake, and visited places like the Nanjing Confucius Temple, Suzhou classical gardens, and the Bund."
"What impressed me most," Hong said, "was the rapid rise of China's high-tech industries. I hope to return to China for further study and bring advanced knowledge and technologies back to Cambodia, to help my country grow stronger."
