This is the third time Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has visited China since he took office in 2009. His father, Abdul Razak, visited China in 1974 as the then prime minister, and two countries established official diplomatic ties that same year.

China remains Malaysia's biggest trading partner. It is also the biggest import source for the country and its second biggest export destination. In 2015, bilateral trade volume hit $97 billion.

Last year, more than 1.5 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia, and Razak hopes that the number will reach 2 million this year. Also in 2015, Chinese and Malaysian military forces conducted their first joint drill in the Strait of Malacca.