China pens friendship song to remind Malaysia of decades-old relations

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said the government's reason for cancelling the rail was simply a lack of funds

China is hoping a song will remind Malaysia of warmer relations in the past, days after a $20 billion project that it backed was scrapped by the Southeast Asian nation.

The Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur released the song Monday on its Facebook page to commemorate 45 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Titled “Bahu Kiri” or left shoulder in Malay and sung in Mandarin, the lyrics speak of friendship against all odds while harking to the South China Sea as “heartrending” and reminding the two nations that they share one shoreline.

“My right shoulder protects you from the wind