During a poignant meeting on September 21, 2024, Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar broke down in tears as he recalled his late son, Tunku Abdul Jalil Iskandar, who passed away in 2015 from liver cancer at the age of 25. The meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping took place in Beijing and coincided with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations [28e2e040]. Sultan Ibrahim expressed his gratitude towards China for its assistance during his son's medical treatment, which included a liver transplant at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong [28e2e040].
This visit marks Sultan Ibrahim's first overseas state visit since his coronation in July 2024. During the meeting, he shared a personal connection to China, revealing that his great-grandmother hailed from Guangdong. This prompted President Xi to request a genealogy search to explore the royal family's roots [28e2e040].
In addition to personal reflections, Sultan Ibrahim emphasized Malaysia's desire to enhance collaboration with China, particularly concerning stability in the South China Sea and infrastructure development under the Belt and Road Initiative [28e2e040]. Xi Jinping, visibly moved by the king's emotions, acknowledged the importance of strengthening ties between the two nations [28e2e040].