8月21日，马来西亚最著名的英文报纸The Star（《星报》）开设的“人类命运共同体”主题专栏“On A Shared Future”，发表了人类命运共同体研究院王四新副院长撰写的文章《共享智能科技福祉，共建中马数字未来》（Sharing the Benefits of Smart Technologies: Building a Shared Digital Future for China and Malaysia)。以下转载全文。
Sharing the Benefits of Smart Technologies: Building a Shared Digital Future for China and Malaysia
ByWang Sixin, Han Xijia
The Communication University of China
The year 2026 marks the 52nd anniversary of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China. It is also the inaugural year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and Malaysia's 13th Malaysia Plan. With both nations embarking on a crucial new phase of development, there is growing strategic significance in deepening bilateral cooperation to build a high-level China–Malaysia community with a shared future in cyberspace.
Reflecting the broader vision of a community with a shared future for mankind in the digital domain, the concept of a community with a shared future in cyberspace is guided by the principles of shared well-being, common values and mutual interests. At its core is the goal of ensuring that the benefits of technological advancement are accessible to people around the world.
During President Xi Jinping's state visit to Malaysia in April 2025, Malaysia and China issued a Joint Statement on Building a High-Level Strategic China–Malaysia Community with a Shared Future, reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
As a Malaysian proverb aptly puts it, “We climb the mountain together and cross the valley together.” This spirit reflects the shared aspirations underpinning both Malaysia's Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 and the vision of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace.Guided by the shared principles of fairness, equity and inclusiveness, the two countries have forged a common foundation for cooperation in the digital domain, providing a clear roadmap for the continued growth of China-Malaysia relations in the years ahead.
In recent years, against the backdrop of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and deepening China–Asean digital collaboration, Malaysia and China have steadily expanded their partnership in cyberspace. The two countries have strengthened policy dialogue and bilateral cooperation across a broad range of areas, including digital technology research and development, digital infrastructure, and the digital economy.
Trade data for 2025 show that China accounted for 18% of Malaysia's total trade, which reached RM3.06 trillion. China has remained Malaysia's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, while Malaysia is China's second-largest trading partner among Asean member states.
As two key developing economies and emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Malaysia and China have leveraged their growing partnership to enhance the well-being of their peoples and contribute to innovation-driven regional economic development.
Since the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in 2023, the number of large AI models has grown rapidly, while new applications such as humanoid robots and AI agents have continued to expand. AI technologies are increasingly being integrated across industries, ushering society into a new phase of widespread intelligent transformation.
With the cross-border flow of data, coordinated development of computing capabilities and greater integration of algorithm standards, digital and intelligent technologies have become a key force reshaping the global allocation of resources, transforming economic structures and influencing the future landscape of international competition.
In June 2026, the China–Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Centre began operations in Qinzhou, China, and Kuala Lumpur, highlighting a range of AI innovations such as smart firefighting solutions, specialised robots, intelligent durian harvesting systems and underwater bionic robotic fish.
The launch of these AI cooperation projects represents a significant step forward for the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” partnership model. Looking ahead, expanded industrial collaboration driven by emerging technologies is expected to create new growth opportunities and further strengthen the foundation of China-Malaysia relations.
However, the gains from technological progress have yet to be distributed evenly across countries, regions and communities. Nearly one-third of the world's population remains disconnected from the internet, while AI adoption in the Global North is expanding at almost twice the rate seen in the Global South. The widening intelligence divide, compounded by the longstanding digital divide, highlights the urgent need to ensure that technological development remains inclusive and benefits people across the world.
Against this backdrop, Malaysia and China’s efforts to foster new areas of high-value industrial cooperation through digital and intelligent technologies hold broader significance for strengthening solidarity and collaboration among the Global South. With comparable stages of development and highly complementary economies, the two countries are well positioned to align technological innovation with industrial needs, enabling mutually beneficial partnerships and sharing the opportunities created by digital transformation.
From the signing of a memorandum of understanding on enhanced AI cooperation and the establishment of the China–Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Centre, to joint efforts in developing AI infrastructure, advancing large language model research and building cross-border AI talent hubs, China-Malaysia AI collaboration has continued to move forward with steady progress.
The deployment of AI-driven innovations in key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, education and healthcare demonstrates the growing impact of bilateral technological cooperation, while providing fresh momentum for the development of the digital economies of both countries.
As President Xi Jinping has noted, “Science and technology are a powerful tool for development, but they can also become a source of risks.” Faced with global challenges in cyberspace governance, including cyber terrorism, cross-border data flows and privacy protection, as well as deepfakes and the governance of misinformation, Malaysia and China have significant potential to strengthen cooperation in building a sustainable and inclusive digital ecosystem and advancing collaborative approaches to cyberspace governance.
Through multilateral platforms such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Asean, Malaysia and China are working to address challenges including technological fragmentation and the weaponisation of technology through dialogue and collaborative governance. These efforts contribute to the development of a more open, fair and inclusive global internet order.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has described China-Malaysia relations in these words: “China is a good friend of Malaysia. The bilateral relationship between the two countries not only has a glorious past, but also a bright future.”
As Malaysia and China move forward with the global trends of digitalisation and intelligent innovation, their practical efforts in building a community with a shared future in cyberspace can serve as a meaningful contribution to regional digital economic growth and global cyberspace governance. By strengthening cooperation in the digital era, the two countries can create new opportunities for their peoples and contribute to broader efforts for peace and sustainable development around the world.