KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — The inaugural Malaysia-China Run 2024 is set to take place at Dataran Merdeka on December 8 to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.

The run, organised by Oriental Daily News with nine other organisations, aims to attract some 5,000 participants aged seven and above for two main categories: a 5km fun run and a 10km run.

A participation fee of RM50 will be charged for the 5km fun run and RM65 for the 10km run, with special group packages available.

The first ten winners in the 10km run category will also receive a total of RM14,400 in cash prizes and plaques, while all participants will also have a chance to grab lucky draw prizes including electrical home appliances and RM4,000 in cash vouchers.

Oriental Daily News executive director Ding Lee Leong said the run aims to highlight the strong and enduring friendship between Malaysia and China and inject vitality into future cooperation.

The event, he said, also intends to foster friendship and understanding between both countries as well as to promote sports exchange and foster social inclusion.

“While the early days were focused on establishing bilateral ties, the later part of Malaysia-China relationship was characterised by strong trade and economic ties.

“And, looking at the latest developments, Malaysia and China are still very strong partners and there is a need to strengthen our relationship for the benefit of the region,” Ding said at a press conference at the Atlantis Seafood Restaurant & Bar, here, today.

Malaysia and China formally established diplomatic relations after former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak and former Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai signed a joint communique on May 31, 1974. Both countries elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2013.

China has also emerged as Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years since 2009, with bilateral trade value reaching RM450.84 billion in 2023.

Registration for the Malaysia-China Run 2024 will close in October 2024. For more information and to register, visit https://runaway.com.my/.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/09/10/malaysia-china-run-2024-set-to-fete-50-years-of-bilateral-ties-with-5km-10km-events-on-dec-8/149866