U.S. trade deal will not affect bilateral cooperation with China - PM Anwar

Anwar said Chinese officials had sought clarification on the bilateral pact, signed on October 26, and that Malaysia had addressed their concerns. “They wanted some clarification, and we have provided it. I don’t think we should exaggerate. China remains a very important trading partner,” he told reporters after launching Perodua’s first electric vehicle at Menara MITI.

The prime minister added that he had personally conveyed the assurance during a recent meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. “In my bilateral meeting with Premier Li Qiang, I explained that there is nothing in the agreement that bars us from continuing our collaboration with China,” he said.

Foreign media previously reported that officials from China’s Ministry of Commerce had raised “grave concerns” over certain provisions of the US-Malaysia trade accord during talks with Malaysian representatives.

The deal, signed during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Kuala Lumpur for the 47th ASEAN Summit, keeps tariffs on Malaysian goods at 19%, while Malaysia committed to removing or reducing tariffs on selected U.S. exports. The United States is Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner.

China, by contrast, has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade exceeding RM450 billion in 2024.