by Xinhua writer Shi Xiaomeng

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, April 17 (Xinhua) -- When visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping joined Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for a welcome dinner on Wednesday, a string of time-tested proverbs electrified the gathering.

The two leaders tapped into their nations' rich cultures to highlight the everlasting friendship between the two peoples and their joint pursuit of a better, shared future.

"Little by little, it becomes a hill," Xi said, citing a Malaysian proverb to describe the China-Malaysia bond, which has defied the seas and kept growing for over a millennium.

In his remarks at the dinner, Anwar uttered a Confucian maxim in Chinese: "Within the four seas, all men are brothers." Xi's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, said the Malaysian leader, reminded him of the aphorism from the renowned ancient Chinese philosopher.

As the two nations look to the future, such a special kind of cultural exchanges goes far beyond diplomatic pleasantries; it reveals a deeper alignment of visions.

At the invitation of Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, Xi paid a state visit to Malaysia from Tuesday to Thursday, as part of his ongoing tour of Southeast Asia. It was Xi's second visit to the country in 12 years.

"Visit those whom you feel connected to even if you've never met, and see them again if they stay in your heart long after your last encounter," Xi quoted an old Chinese saying while speaking of his Malaysia trips at the welcome dinner.

"During my last visit to Malaysia in 2013, I was deeply impressed by Malaysia's beautiful nature, diverse culture and kind people," Xi said. "Now coming back 12 years later, I am truly delighted to see Malaysia booming and making great strides in modernization."

Last year, China and Malaysia celebrated the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. During the just concluded visit, the two sides pledged to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future and usher in new "Golden 50 Years" for bilateral ties.

To illustrate the unbreakable bond between the two nations, the Chinese president quoted the same Malaysian proverb during both of his visits to Malaysia -- "Water can't be cut apart." The latest citation appeared in Xi's signed article published in Malaysian media on Tuesday.

In the article, Xi wrote, "As a community with a shared future, China and Malaysia share the smooth times and the rough, stand united in peace and crisis, and thrive and endure together."

"Share weal and woe," a popular proverb in both countries, defines the very essence of such a relationship, he added.

At the welcome dinner, both leaders pointed to the challenges troubling today's world: undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation, countercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism, as well as arbitrary disruptions.

Citing a Chinese proverb, Anwar set a confident tone: "There is nothing difficult in the world, only those who lack the will." Hearing that, Xi and the audience applauded.

In these trying times, the world yearns for steadiness, reliability and purpose, said Anwar. "We see this in China's conduct."

"China has been a rational, strong and reliable partner. Malaysia values this consistency," he said. "Malaysia will remain an unwavering and principled friend to China, guided by the wisdom of history and the promise of the future." ■