China and Malaysia
China is a central partner for Malaysian industry and infrastructure. Trade cooperation and travel have intensified, while differing maritime claims persist.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A broad partnership within Southeast Asia
The comprehensive strategic partnership dates from 2013 and develops through presidential and ministerial contacts and economic cooperation mechanisms.
Industrial supply chains and connectivity
Regional agreements and bilateral cooperation connect industrial suppliers, manufacturing, energy and logistics.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 191,906.19 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: China to Malaysia | 103,789.98 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: Malaysia to China | 88,116.21 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: China to Malaysia | 2.75 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Export share: Malaysia to China | ||
| Investment stock: China in Malaysia | ||
| Investment stock: Malaysia in China |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: China to Malaysia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Malaysia to China
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: China to Malaysia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods share: CHN exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | China | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 19.5 trillion USD2025 · WB | 472.19 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 13,861.97 USD2025 · WB | 13,124.56 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 4.96 %2025 · WB | 5.17 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 1.4 %2026-09-24 · PBoC | |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.06 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 1.38 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 0.8 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · NBS China | |
| Unemployment | 4.62 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 3.76 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -7.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 99.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 70.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 3.77 %2025 · WB | 1.69 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 1,406,585,0002025 · WB | 35,977,8382025 · WB |
| Area | 9,562,910 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 330,411 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDChina: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personChina: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)China: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)China: 2026-09-24 · PBoC: 7-day reverse repo · People’s Bank of China · Published: 2026-09-24 · Rate of the official operation consulted, not the mortgage LPR or the PSL lending rate. Subsequent operations with zero volume are not converted into a 0% interest rate.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)China: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedChina: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · National Bureau of Statistics of China · Published: 2026-09-09 · National headline year-on-year CPI, not monthly inflation or an annual average.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionChina: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Malaysia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Malaysia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Malaysia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPChina: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleChina: 2025 · World BankMalaysia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceChina: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAOMalaysia: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
China to Malaysia
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 27,693.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 16,084.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 2,743.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Animal or vegetable fats and oils | 348.3 M USD2025 · Source |
Malaysia to China
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 37,796.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 19,761.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 10,743.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Animal or vegetable fats and oils | 1,605.6 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | China to Malaysia | Malaysia to China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 174,387.4 | 76,404.3 | 97,983.1 |
| 2022 | 203,590.2 | 93,711.3 | 109,879 |
| 2023 | 190,274.8 | 87,369.8 | 102,905.1 |
| 2024 | 212,036.1 | 101,458.9 | 110,577.2 |
| 2025 | 191,906.2 | 103,790 | 88,116.2 |
Connections between people
Tourism, family visits, education and business benefit from easier short-term travel. The digital arrival card and permits to work or reside remain separate procedures. [4]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from China living in Malaysia | ||
| Residents from Malaysia living in China | ||
| Study and training: China in Malaysia | ||
| Study and training: Malaysia in China | ||
| Academic stays: China in Malaysia | ||
| Academic stays: Malaysia in China | ||
| Travel: China to Malaysia | ||
| Travel: Malaysia to China |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
A broad partnership within Southeast Asia
The comprehensive strategic partnership dates from 2013 and develops through presidential and ministerial contacts and economic cooperation mechanisms. The April 2025 statement placed industry, investment, connectivity and education among its priorities. Malaysia combines these ties with its participation in ASEAN: it took over coordination of ASEAN–China dialogue relations in 2024. That position gives it a role in trade and regional issues broader than the bilateral relationship. Official statements express both governments' priorities; they do not replace observation of each project's progress. [1] [2]
Industrial supply chains and connectivity
Regional agreements and bilateral cooperation connect industrial suppliers, manufacturing, energy and logistics. Trade is not limited to finished products: electronic components and machinery may cross borders as part of the same production chain. Both governments also emphasise infrastructure, the digital economy and green development. The Belt and Road Initiative provides a framework for connectivity projects, but their financing conditions and implementation must be examined project by project. The customs figures accompanying this profile describe goods for a full year, and the sector selection shows the weight of oils, fuels and equipment. [1] [3]
Cooperation without resolving maritime claims
Cooperation with China does not eliminate differences in claims in the South China Sea. Malaysia participates in negotiations on an ASEAN–China code of conduct to reduce incidents and tensions. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that negotiations must respect international law and not compromise its sovereignty position. A code for managing incidents does not by itself delimit maritime areas. Kuala Lumpur says these matters should be resolved through mechanisms of international law, including the Law of the Sea Convention. Trade cooperation, diplomatic incident management and maritime delimitation should therefore be kept separate: they are related but legally different processes. [4]
The scale of the two economies
China's reference nominal GDP is 19,498 billion USD in 2025, compared with 472.2 in 2025 for Malaysia. The reference populations are 1,406.59 million (2025) and 35.98 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, China's nominal GDP was 41.29 times Malaysia's. These figures contextualise market size; they do not by themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or population extrapolations retain their labels in the table. No ratio is calculated when periods do not match. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Easier travel since July 2025
The reciprocal visa-exemption agreement entered into force on 17 July 2025. For covered passports, it permits visits of up to thirty days, with a cumulative maximum of ninety days within one hundred and eighty. It covers tourism, family visits, business and other short-term activities specified by the agreement. The Malaysian embassy also retains the digital arrival card requirement. This change facilitates personal contacts but does not grant permanent residence or replace employment permits. The July 2025 ministerial meeting covered implementation of the agreement and digital and green cooperation. [5] [3]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between China and Malaysia totalled 191,906.2 million USD. Shipments from China to Malaysia were 103,790 million USD; those in the reverse direction were 88,116.2 million USD. China's shipments to the partner represented 2.75% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs reporting source is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or affiliates' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [6]
Milestones and consequences
- 2013
Comprehensive strategic partnership
The political cooperation framework is expanded. [1]
- 2024
Regional coordination
Malaysia takes over coordination of ASEAN–China dialogue. [2]
- 2025-04-17
Joint statement
The governments set economic and connectivity priorities. [1]
- 2025-07-17
Reciprocal visa exemption
Implementation of the short-stay regime begins. [5]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- China–Malaysia joint statement
Malaysia KLN · Institutional source · Document: 2025-04-17 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Regional coordination and China–Malaysia partnership
Malaysia KLN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Meeting of foreign ministers
China MFA · Institutional source · Document: 2025-07-12 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Malaysia's position on the South China Sea
Malaysia KLN · Institutional source · Document: 2023-04-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Visa-exemption agreement from July 2025
Embassy of Malaysia in Beijing · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 156; partners 0,554,702,458,764,404
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 15; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 15; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.