Durian Diplomacy: A Glimpse into Malaysia's China Reliance Malaysia's Anwar is seeking help from his "good friend" Li Qiang, the Chinese Prime Minister, to rescue durian farmers struggling with plummeting prices.
This move highlights Malaysia's heavy reliance on China as its primary market for this prized fruit. About 60% of Malaysia's $368 million annual durian exports go to China.
The recent surge in fresh and frozen durian exports to China – from $5 million to $37 million in just a year, and reaching $77 million in the first quarter of this year alone – underscores the importance of maintaining good relations with Beijing.