By Wong Chun Wai

                  IT WAS truly a celebration. All the 100-odd tables at the dinner to
                  commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties
                  between Malaysia and China were taken up.

                  The dinner, at the China World Hotel owned by Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri
                  Robert Kuok, didn't come cheap.

                  At RM500 per head, the ushers had to make sure there were no gate-crashers.
                  Invitation cards were collected at the entrance.

                  The guests-of-honour were Prime Ministr Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad and
                  Vice-Premier Qian Qichen.

                  The menu was Sino-Malaysian combination at its best, from curry chicken to
                  shark's fin soup.

                  In between, the diners were treated to Malaysian cultural dances to
                  nerve-breaking acrobatic performances by the Chinese.

                  If that wasn't entertaining enough, a Chinese magician pulled out a live fish from
                  the jacket of a Malaysian VIP and then threw the wriggling creature into an
                  aquarium on stage.

                  To top it all, students from the Beijing Fereign Studies University, pursuing
                  degrees in the Malay language, sang two Malay Songs.

                  It was a night to end a successful three-day working visit by Dr Mahathir to
                  China. It was the prime minister's fifth visit to China.

                  "In each visit, I have noticed significant changes and progress," he told his
                  Chinese counterpart Zhu Rongji at the Great Hall of the People.

                  The changes have been remarkable, even for journalists who made regular visits
                  to China.

                  Traffic jams, unheard of years ago, have become a daily occurrences, like in
                  other major cities. Cyclists now have to give way to cars.

                  The crawl has become acute because the city is rushing to complete the third
                  phase of its subway travel project.

                  The 13.5km subway, which costs USS$92.1mil, connects many important
                  commercial tourist areas and will enter it trial operation next month.

                  Construction work is also going on at Jianguomenwai Avenue where the hotel is
                  located. It leads straight to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

                  The city is being spruced up with buildings repainted and grass sown for the
                  50th anniversary celebrations of Communist Plarty rule.

                  On Monday, Malaysian journalists and businessmen, who arrived early for Dr
                  Mahathir's visit, were treated to a dress-rehersal of the Oct 1 celebrations.

                  Hundreds of tanks rolled through the streets as the goverment sealed
                  downstreets and closed nearby tourists spot, sending the city's traffic to a
                  stand still.

                  The anniversary, in conjunction with the National Day, will, for the first time,
                  feature these military hardware in 15 years.

                  This writer saw Chinese soldiers, in full jackets, sweating away inside hundreds
                  of camouflaged tanks and troop carriers as onlookers, in shorts and singlets,
                  watched by the side. There were rocket launchers, trucks towing artillery and
                  missles.

                  But it wasn't the only celebration that Beijing folks noticed. The 25th
                  Sino-Malaysian diplomatic ties bash was also given high billing.

                  The Chinese media made the Prime Minister's visit a top item in their news
                  coverage.

                  The China Daily put on its front page on Friday the tributes President Jiang
                  Zemin paid to Dr Mathathir during their meeting.

                  While the media highlighted the official functions, no less important were the
                  side events which involved people-to-people contact.

                  At the Beijing Parkson Store, owned by Lion Group chairman Tan Sri william
                  Cheng, at Chang'an Avenue, hundreds gathered to watch a cultural show
                  outside the shopping complex.

                  Looking at the sporty Proton Satria on display, as part of Parkson'sMalaysian
                  product promotion, many Chinese were surprised to find Malaysia a
                  manufacturer of car.

                  Impressed by the car's design, many asked about the price but it looks like
                  they will have to wait a little longer.

                  Dr Mahathir told newsmen negotiations were still being held with the Chinese
                  government.

                  In fact, a ground breaking ceremony by the prime minister for the construction
                  of a Proton manufacturing plant in Holhot was ca11ed off before the visit.

                  It is understood some loose ends still need to be tied up but the preliminary
                  agreements have been completed.

                  For the country's No 1 salesman, it wasn't just diplomacy as he tirelessly
                  promoted palm oil, gas and even the Multimedia Super Corridor project to the
                  Chinese leaders.

                  "President Jiang expressed interest in the Multimedia Super Corridor, saying
                  both sides can increase cooperation in this area," he said.

                  At the Malaysian product promotion, Dr Mahathir asked Malaysian
                  businessmen about the progress of their ventures in China.

                  Indeed, the Malaysia-China Forum, attended by hundreds of businessmen from
                  both sides, proved to an excellent exchange networking.

                  Led by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, the
                  chief ministers, officials and businessmen, explained to their listerners the
                  potential of doing business in Malaysia.

                  Dr Mahathir also promoted the idea of an Asian Media--news on Asia by Asian
                  news organisations.

                  The challenge now is for Malaysian media organisations, both print and
                  electronic, to set up their offices in Beijing as the world enters the next
                  millennium.

                  Malaysian leaders , starting with Tun Razak and now Mahathir, have been
                  far-sighted in seeing China as a country that matters, more so in the 21st
                  century as China progresses further.