Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak started a six-day visit to China on Tuesday in the aftermath of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and amid simmering tensions in the South China Sea.

Analysts said Malaysia is under some pressure when seeking a closer relationship with China, but as next year's chair of ASEAN, the country is expected to play a constructive role in maintaining ties and regional stability.

Luo Yongkun, a researcher of Southeast Asian studies with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the countries are sending a signal that their ties are too mature to be affected by the airline incident or provocations from others.