Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won many admirers in China when he spoke warmly of the "sinbiotic relationship" Malaysia had with China. The statements, coming despite an open realisation that Malaysia faces stiff competition from China in exports and for foreign investment, cannot be but laudable.

The deputy premier's observation that "those who dare risk and look pro-actively beyond the rising Asian economic power" would reap "enormous opportunity" for bilateral trade are certainly not far fetched. It is indeed remarkable that Malaysia has noted and endorsed a "pro-active engagement" with China.

One cannot but hope that Abdullah's advice to Asean to end its policy of "containing China" in favour of engagement will be followed through comprehensively and without delay. It is certain that this pro-active engagement will result in mutual respect and understanding in maintaining stability in the South China Sea.

We are only too aware of the tensions and a potential flashpoint in the disputed Spratlys area of the South China Sea - which is claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China and Taiwan.

In business, there is an 'enormous opportunity' for Malaysia and Malaysian companies to trade with the Asian economic powerhouse. Evidence of that was the fact that China's imports from five Asean countries - Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand - grew six times faster than Japanese imports from these countries.

Political and business strategist would certainly agree that China is a far more important destination for Asian exports than Japan is in the near term. More so, when one objectively looks at China after its accession to the World Trade Organisation and committed itself to lower tariffs for industrial and agricultural imports and reduction of agricultural subsidies. This act will certainly boost trade between Malaysia and China, as rightly pointed out by the deputy premier.

For the record, Malaysia is now China's seventh-largest trading partner and has overtaken Singapore as China's largest trading partner in Asean. Moreover, between 1996 and 2002, Malaysia's trade with China grew three times from US$3.8 billion to US$11.4 billion.

One should not forget that trade growth between the two countries is so strong that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, at his meeting with Abdullah, "predicted" that annual trade volume would double to more than US$20 billion in two years' time.

What is truly remarkable and exciting about this official visit by Abdullah is that the two governments have already signed five agreements on agriculture, outer space cooperation, remote sensing, labour recruitment and tourism. Fifteen private-sector memoranda of understanding was also signed, including one, between Malaysia's UMW and China's Baoji Petroleum Steel Pipe to build pipe auxiliary material production plants. The year 2004 has also been declared a Malaysia-China Friendship Year.

The incoming premier has indeed done well, and one would not be wrong in saying that the region looks forward to his contribution and leadership in regional diplomacy, cooperation and economic growth as he prepares to become the country's 5th prime minister.