Amran: Witnessing the 'New Heights' of ASEAN China Cooperation in Ningbo

      On February 13th, the 31st China ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultation was held in Ningbo.
      The China ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultation is an important annual consultation mechanism between the diplomatic departments of China and ASEAN countries. This year, the consultation was held for the first time in Ningbo.
       In recent years, the economic and trade exchanges between Ningbo and ASEAN have become increasingly close. Last year, ASEAN was Ningbo's third largest trading partner, with a total import and export volume of 187.69 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 20.7%.
      On February 14th, the reporter interviewed the Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senior ASEAN Affairs Officer, Amran, to discuss the broad prospects of Malaysia and Ningbo in areas such as economy, trade, culture, and port cooperation, and to explore how Ningbo can play a greater role in promoting cultural exchanges within the framework of China ASEAN cooperation.
Core viewpoint
      -From Zheng He's voyages to the "the Belt and Road" initiative, Ningbo has always played an important role in ASEAN China exchanges
      -Green economy and digital economy are the directions for future development, and cooperation between ASEAN and China will ride the waves in this new "blue ocean"
      -The cooperation between Ningbo Zhoushan Port and Port Klang in Malaysia is not only a logistics connection, but also an important component of China Malaysia economic cooperation
      -People to people exchanges are the cornerstone of friendship. With the launch of the "ASEAN China Year of People to People and Cultural Exchanges" series of activities, the emotional ties between the two peoples have further deepened
      -The friendship between ASEAN and China is like the ancient Maritime Silk Road, constantly radiating new vitality. Now, we stand at a new starting point and embark on a new journey together
      Green economy and digital economy are the future development directions between ASEAN and Ningbo
      Reporter: Is this your first time visiting Ningbo? What impression has this city left on you?
      Amran: Yes, this is my first time coming to Ningbo. From the moment I arrived, I was deeply attracted to this city. The modern facilities of the airport and the emerging development projects along the way all showcase the vibrant vitality of Ningbo.
      After several days of visits, I learned that Ningbo has not only achieved significant economic success, but also demonstrated strong strength in cultural heritage and technological innovation.
      For example, at the Ningbo City Exhibition Center, I learned about the long history of Ningbo and witnessed its rapid development in the process of modernization. The Extreme Krypton 5G Smart Factory has made me feel China's strong strength in the field of new energy vehicles.
      It can be said that Ningbo is a city that combines historical and modern charm, making me reluctant to leave.
      Reporter: This year, the China ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultation was held for the first time in Ningbo. What were your expectations for the consultation before?
      Amran: As the rotating presidency of 2025, Malaysia is honored to co chair this meeting with China.
      As an important port on the ancient Maritime Silk Road in China, Ningbo has a profound historical connection with      Malaysia. From Zheng He's voyages to Malacca to today's close cooperation under the the Belt and Road Initiative, Ningbo has always been an important link between ASEAN and China.
      When I came to Ningbo this time, I not only hope to have a deep understanding of Ningbo's achievements in the modernization drive, but also look forward to exploring how to make use of this profound historical bond to further promote economic and trade cooperation and people to people exchanges under the framework of the "the Belt and Road", so that China Malaysia friendship will bloom in the new era.
      Reporter: What positive role do you think Ningbo can play in promoting cooperation between China and ASEAN? Ningbo is willing to further deepen cooperation with ASEAN countries. Do you have any valuable suggestions on this?
      Amran: The rapid development of e-commerce in China and the open market have strengthened the connections between regional economies and brought cooperation opportunities to ASEAN countries, including Malaysia. Previous Malaysian governments attach great importance to friendly relations with China and hope to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in all aspects and multiple fields with China.
      Under the dual framework of the "the Belt and Road" initiative and the China ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, Ningbo has shown great potential for cooperation with ASEAN. Last year, the trade volume between ASEAN and Ningbo was about 30 billion US dollars.
      In addition to traditional trade fields, Ningbo has demonstrated strong competitiveness in emerging industries. Ningbo's expertise in new energy vehicle components, batteries, and intelligent vehicle technology perfectly complements Malaysia's growing automotive market.
      In April 2024, the establishment of the Proton China R&D Center in Ningbo is a vivid manifestation of the innovation and interaction in the automotive industry between China and Malaysia. This cooperation not only benefits the automotive industry, but also contributes to future sustainable development and technological progress.
      In my opinion, through cooperation in parts supply, battery research, intelligent vehicle use, and charging station construction, Ningbo can inject new impetus into the economic cooperation between ASEAN and China, promoting deep cooperation in the fields of green economy and digital economy.
      The cooperation between Ningbo and Malaysia is a win-win situation for port alliances and industrial resonance
      Reporter: The trade between Ningbo and Malaysia has grown significantly. What are your expectations and suggestions for further promoting economic and trade cooperation in the future?
      Amran: Malaysia has always been committed to strengthening economic and trade exchanges with China. The Malaysian government has introduced a series of new policies to simplify rules, optimize legal provisions, and create convenient conditions for broader economic and trade cooperation with Chinese cities, including Ningbo.
      Currently, Malaysia and China are working together to promote two flagship economic and trade cooperation projects.
One is the "Two Countries, Two Parks" project between China and Malaysia, namely the Qinzhou Industrial Park and the Kuantan Industrial Park. These two parks have attracted a large amount of investment and are a symbol of economic cooperation between the two countries.
      The other is the Malaysia East Coast Railway project. This railway is constructed by Chinese enterprises and is expected to be completed by the end of next year. After the railway is opened, it will improve Malaysia's logistics and transportation, and promote economic and trade exchanges between Malaysia and countries such as China.
      At the same time, we also hope that both companies can fully utilize policy dividends and further strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as robot research and development, green energy, and digital economy.
      In addition, the cooperation between Malaysia and China under the frameworks of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) has also facilitated trade exchanges between the two sides. Last year, ASEAN continued to maintain its position as China's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade between China and Malaysia exceeding 100 billion US dollars.
      We look forward to further reducing trade barriers, optimizing trade logistics, and jointly promoting sustainable development of the regional economy through these collaborations.
      Reporter: Ningbo Zhoushan Port is the world's largest port, and Port Klang in Malaysia is an important hub of ASEAN. What are your ideas and suggestions for further deepening cooperation between the two sides?
      Amram: Since 2004, Klang Port in Malaysia and Zhoushan Port in Ningbo have been "sisters ports". In February 2024, the Port Klang Free Trade Zone in Malaysia and Zhenhai District in Ningbo City reached an intention to promote high-quality development cooperation, aiming to promote closer trade relations, cultural exchanges, and cooperation in various fields such as economic trade, technological innovation, industrial cooperation, port cooperation, and free trade zone linkage.
      During the visit, the automation and high-tech development of Ningbo Zhoushan Port left a deep impression on me. This is not only a model for port construction in China, but also provides valuable experience for global port development.
Malaysia can learn from China's experience in port technology and further strengthen cooperation with China. We look forward to more cooperation between both parties in port management, logistics optimization, and green port construction, to jointly create a more efficient and environmentally friendly port operation model.
      Where durian is fragrant, cultural exchanges are more down-to-earth
      Reporter: There are direct flights and visa free policies between Ningbo and Malaysia, and people to people exchanges are becoming increasingly close. What do you think is the significance of this exchange for the relationship between the two countries?
      Amran: People to people exchanges are an important cornerstone of bilateral relations and a vivid manifestation of the deepening friendship between the two countries.
      In recent years, tourism, education, and cultural exchanges between Ningbo and Malaysia have been continuously strengthened. Direct flights and visa free policies have greatly facilitated the exchanges between the two peoples and further promoted personnel mobility and cultural exchanges.
      Cooperation such as "durian diplomacy" not only brought the two peoples closer, but also promoted trade exchanges. We look forward to carrying out cooperation in more fields in the future, further deepening the friendship between the two peoples, and making the flower of China Malaysia friendship bloom more brightly in the soil of people to people exchanges.
It is worth mentioning that Malaysia is the first ASEAN country to establish diplomatic relations with China. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, which is not only an important milestone in the relationship between the two countries, but also a witness to the deepening of their friendship. Over the past 50 years, the cooperation between the two countries in areas such as economy, culture, and education has continuously deepened and achieved remarkable achievements.
      Reporter: The friendship between China and ASEAN countries such as Malaysia is deepening day by day. As a historic and cultural city along the "Maritime Silk Road", Ningbo will play an important role in cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two places. What are your expectations for this?
      Amram: Last year, we launched a series of activities of the "ASEAN China Year of People to People and Cultural Exchanges" and extended these activities to this year. Through this project, we have carried out multiple activities to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the people of the two regions, laying the foundation for the future development of bilateral relations.
      We look forward to further strengthening the relationship between the two countries through the implementation of various cooperation agreements and policy improvements within the existing bilateral cooperation framework.
We hope that Ningbo will continue to leverage its cultural advantages and make more contributions to the friendship between China and Malaysia by organizing more cultural exchange activities, promoting educational cooperation, and strengthening tourism promotion.
      The cooperation between ASEAN and China is closer and more fruitful under the the Belt and Road Initiative. The friendship between ASEAN and China, like the ancient Maritime Silk Road, has become increasingly long and profound.
Looking ahead, the cooperation between ASEAN and China will reach a higher level. We look forward to working together in emerging fields such as green economy and digital economy to create a better future.
      We also expect Ningbo to continue to deepen cooperation with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries under the "the Belt and Road" initiative, so that the "story of Ningbo and ASEAN" will become more and more exciting.
      I believe that through the joint efforts of both sides, our cooperation will reach new heights, the friendship between the two peoples will become deeper, and the future path of cooperation will be brighter and more brilliant.