YINCHUAN (China), April 3 — A total of 26 cooperation projects worth 495 million yuan (about US$72 million; RM289.99 million) were signed during the Sixth Belt and Road China-Malaysia Business Dialogue, which opened on Thursday in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, reported Xinhua.

The deals, covering areas such as economic and trade investment and modern agriculture, represent a significant expansion of bilateral economic ties.

The event drew over 200 government and business representatives from both nations to discuss deepening collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, with a specific focus on economy and trade, science and technology, agriculture, culture, and tourism.

China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for several consecutive years. Recently, the partnership has evolved from standard commodity exchanges to deeper industrial synergy and integrated supply chains.

In his opening address, Ma Hui, deputy head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, described the dialogue as a vital platform for party-to-party exchanges between China and Malaysia and for advancing pragmatic economic cooperation, urging both sides to seize current opportunities to further deepen and strengthen their ties.

Malaysia’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chang Lih Kang, said the dialogue provides crucial stability amid global economic uncertainty. Looking ahead, he emphasised the potential for joint ventures in energy transition and artificial intelligence (AI), noting that Malaysia’s emerging AI academic institutions have already benefited significantly from Chinese expertise.

The dialogue highlighted Ningxia’s growing international role as an inland open-economy pilot zone. Malaysia is currently the region’s largest export market for agricultural goods, with steady demand for cool-climate vegetables, goji berries, and frozen potatoes.

Cultural ties are also booming. In 2025, the number of Malaysian tourists staying overnight in Ningxia skyrocketed by 207.7 per cent year-on-year, making Malaysia the region’s top source of international visitors.

The event was co-hosted by the China Economic Cooperation Centre, the Malaysia-China Business Council, and the regional foreign affairs office of Ningxia. — Bernama-Xinhua