Sino-Malaysian ties thrive on trust, growth

Expert highlights decades of cooperation and benefits from Beijing's development

Editor's note: As the People's Republic of China celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding this year, China Daily asked prominent international figures to reflect on their relationship with the country and to talk of the direction in which they see it going.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Malaysia in October 2013, Michael Yeoh was one of three people selected by then-Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to join a meeting with Xi and the Chinese delegation.

"The meeting with the top Chinese leader gave me more encouragement to collaborate more with China," said Yeoh, president of the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, a think tank in Kuala Lumpur.