On July 8, 2026, the Second Working Group Meeting of the Bilateral Dialogue between China and Malaysia on the Management of Maritime Issues in the South China Sea was held in Qingdao, China. Representative of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of Foreign Ministry of China HU Wei and Director of Maritime Security and Sovereignty Division of National Security Council of Malaysia Khairul Azhar (Nik) bin Abu Bakar co-chaired the meeting, with representatives from the two countries’ main maritime departments in attendance.

The two sides spoke highly of the smooth operation of the Bilateral Dialogue, discussed conducting maritime joint study and promoting practical maritime cooperation in various areas, and had an in-depth exchange of views on the current situation in the South China Sea. After the meeting, the Malaysian working group visited the First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources.