Malaysia and China have agreed to lift bilateral ties to a “comprehensive strategic partnership” and set a target of 160 billion USD in annual bilateral trade by 2017.

China is Malaysia 's biggest trading partner with two-way trade soaring to a record high of 94.8 billion USD last year. Trade in the first seven months of 2013 jumped 14.9 percent to 59.72 billion USD.

Malaysia has also seen an increase of China ’s investment in the country, focusing on logistics and estates.

Last month, China ’s Guangxi Beibu Gulf International Port Group Ltd doled out 94 million USD for 40 percent of shares in Malaysia ’s Kuantan Port Consortium Sdn Bhd, paving the way for expanding activities at the largest port on the eastern coast of Malaysia .

Late last year, China’s County Garden Holdings Co. Ltd purchased 11 hectares of land in an industry zone in southern Malaysia at a cost of 328.97 million USD./.