Chinese Vessels Dock in Malaysia for “Peace and Friendship-2025” Joint Exercises Amid Asia-Pacific Security Shifts

Chinese Vessels Dock in Port Klang Ahead of “Peace and Friendship-2025” Exercise

Mohd Hanif Ismail - : Oct 15, 2025 - : 2:38 pm

To read the full article, please log in or enter your email below:

Chinese naval vessels have arrived at Port Klang, Malaysia, as they prepare to take part in the upcoming Peace and Friendship-2025 joint exercise with Malaysian forces. Among them are the Type 052D destroyer Yinchuan, the amphibious landing ship Jinggangshan (Type 071), and the corvette Jingmen (Type 056A). Their arrival was marked by a formal Malaysian welcoming ceremony featuring a military band and officials from Malaysia’s armed forces.

Following their marine arrival, Chinese ground and air units proceeded via motorised convoys to deploy to their allocated training zones, officially concluding the transit phase of the deployment. According to the PLA Southern Theatre Command, all Chinese contingents have now reached their designated locations on schedule. Chinese Ambassadorial and community representatives also joined local celebrations in Malaysia to greet the arriving personnel.

This iteration of the exercise is set to run from 15 to 23 October 2025, drawing more than 1,000 personnel from multiple military branches of both nations. The exercise will be staged across land, sea and air domains, and for the first time will incorporate an air force exchange and seminar component.

Originally launched in 2014 as a bilateral security engagement, the “Peace and Friendship” series has evolved in scope and ambition. The 2025 edition is intended to underline shared interests in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR) and maritime security — domains explicitly cited by China’s defence ministry. Analysts see these non-traditional security challenges as a less politically charged platform for deeper military cooperation between China and Southeast Asian states.

The timing of the exercise carries added weight given Malaysia’s important position along maritime trade arteries. The Straits of Malacca, through which much of Asia’s energy and cargo transit, lie in proximity to the exercise area in the Asia-Pacific theatre. The inclusion of live drills in and around these waters underscores the dual strategic and symbolic value the PLA places on familiarisation with crucial sea lanes.

In the broader Asia-Pacific context, the exercise fits into China’s ongoing strategy of defence diplomacy with Southeast Asia. Earlier in 2025, China staged Exercise Cooperation-2025 with Singapore, Golden Dragon-2025 with Cambodia, and Falcon Strike-2025 with Thailand — all aimed at institutionalising persistent military ties with ASEAN states under the guise of security cooperation. Malaysia’s balanced posture, welcoming both engagement and oversight, enables it to host these drills without overt commitment to any security bloc.

For ASEAN, “Peace and Friendship-2025” could become another piece in the mosaic of regional confidence-building measures, perhaps aligning with the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework in non-traditional security arenas. The presence of invited ASEAN observers aims to promote mutual visibility and trust, even in an environment marked by strategic competition.