KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Nearly two-thirds of Malaysians hold favourable views of the People’s Republic of China and believe that Malaysia-China relations are progressing well, according to a recent survey.

The survey, conducted by Merdeka Center, found that favourability towards China among ethnic Malays has increased significantly, rising from 28 per cent in 2022 to 73 per cent in 2024.

"The survey revealed that 77 per cent of respondents have a positive view of China, while 84 per cent believe that Malaysia-China relations are improving, compared to 39 per cent and 70 per cent respectively in 2022,” it said in a statement.

The survey also highlighted that Malaysians’ overall perception of China has improved significantly, with public opinion becoming more optimistic about China’s development.

"Sixty-two per cent of respondents believe that China is improving, nearly double the 34 per cent in 2022.”

Ethnic Chinese respondents showed the highest level of support for the China-Malaysia relationship at 97 per cent, followed by Muslim Bumiputera at 87 per cent, non-Muslim Bumiputera at 85 per cent, ethnic Indians at 80 per cent, and ethnic Malays at 78 per cent.

Regarding bilateral cooperation between the two countries, the survey revealed growing optimism and public approval.

"The percentage of those who view the relationship between the two countries as poor has decreased from 20 per cent in 2022 to just 9 per cent,” the survey stated.

When asked about the future trajectory of Malaysia-China relations, 77 per cent of respondents said they believe the relationship is heading in the right direction, an increase of 13 percentage points from 2022.

Merdeka Center noted that Chinese investments in Malaysia have gained broader public support, with 82 per cent of respondents — up 12 per cent from 2022 — believing these investments benefit Malaysia greatly.

Meanwhile, those with pessimistic views dropped from 19 per cent in 2022 to 9 per cent.

"Malaysians also look forward to strengthening cooperation with China in the fields of economy, technology, and other sectors,” it added.

The top 10 sectors for desired cooperation include the digital economy, infrastructure, tourism, manufacturing, electric vehicles, medical product development, agriculture and fisheries, new energy, green economy and environmental engineering, and semiconductor industries.

This survey, conducted between May 17 and June 10, was carried out in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, which began in 1974.

It involved 1,225 respondents aged 18 and above, randomly selected across Malaysia (including Sabah and Sarawak) based on the country’s ethnic composition.

The respondents consisted of 52 per cent Malay, 29 per cent Chinese, 7 per cent Indian, 6 per cent Muslim Bumiputera, and 6 per cent non-Muslim Bumiputera.