KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia, July 26 (Xinhua) -- More than 5,000 people took part in the Malaysia-China 2026 Run in Kota Kinabalu, capital of Malaysia's Sabah state, on Sunday.

Organized by the Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah, the event aims to promote friendship and people-to-people exchanges as the two countries celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

As the starting signal sounded in the early morning, participants of different ethnicities and ages set off from the starting line amid a lively atmosphere, with many waving flags representing their respective teams.

Zhu Xinglong, Chinese Consul General in Kota Kinabalu, said the run is not only a sporting event but also a platform for people from different communities in Sabah to interact and strengthen China-Malaysia relations.

For Malaysian Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Chan Foong Hin, the event has become an important platform for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Held for the seventh year, the event has become a signature event for promoting people-to-people friendship and exchanges between China and Malaysia in Sabah.■