China is committed to strengthening the security and stability of Southeast Asia, Malaysia's Defence Minister Najib Razak said today after talks with his Chinese counterpart.

Najib said Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan, who is on a five-nation Asian tour, also suggested expanding military exercises with Malaysia.

"He suggested maritime exercises with China's navy, non-traditional exercises, search and rescue exercises - for example if our ships visit China they can do minor search and rescue exercises with them and vice versa," he said.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) secretary-general Ong Keng Yong last month questioned China's commitment to the region, chiding the regional powerhouse for failing to push military-run Burma towards democracy.

"What's the point of you being a dialogue partner when you are not seen to be contributing to the credibility and stature of the organisation?" he said in reference to China's status as an Asean partner.

However Najib said China had given assurances of its commitment to the region's top security grouping, the Asean Regional Forum.

"China is committed to efforts to cooperate with Asean to boost the security and the stability of the region through cooperation in the Asean Regional Forum," he said.

Cao leaves Malaysia on Wednesday for the next stages of his regional tour, Singapore and South Korea. He has already visited North Korea and Vietnam.