KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Xinhua) -- More than 5,000 runners participated in a friendship run in Kota Kinabalu, capital of Malaysia's Sabah state, on Sunday to mark the 51st anniversary of bilateral ties between Malaysia and China.

The run, organized by the Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah, started from early morning, drawing participants from local communities, as well as Chinese students studying in Sabah and staff from Chinese companies.

Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan remarked that the exchanges between Malaysia and China have already taken root at the grassroots level, particularly in youth and sports, adding that events like this help further connect young people from both nations.

Zhu Xinglong, Chinese Consul General in Kota Kinabalu, said that in recent years, China-Malaysia relations have continued to deepen, with increasingly close exchanges between the two peoples.

"Marking the 51st anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties, this event carries special significance and has received strong support and enthusiastic participation from both sides. I believe the friendship between the two countries will continue to grow," Zhu added.

"Since its inception, the event has been held for six consecutive years, with the scale expanding each year - from the initial 3,000 participants to over 5,000 today. We hope even more people will join in the future to carry forward this friendship," said Oh Ei Sun, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah.