Li Qiang Holds Talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

Premier Li Qiang of the State Council held talks with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Malaysian Prime Minister’s office.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties and the Year of China-Malaysia Friendship, Li Qiang pointed out that no matter how the international landscape has evolved over the past half a century, the two countries have always treated each other with sincerity, pursued win-win cooperation, and engaged in exchanges and mutual learning, achieving steady progress in bilateral relations, and making the China-Malaysia relationship a front-runner and a prime example in China’s relations with countries in the region. Last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reached important common understandings on building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, drawing a blueprint for the growth of bilateral relations in the new era. China is ready to work jointly with Malaysia to continue to develop bilateral relations as a priority of their respective foreign policy, and take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to accelerate the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future by maintaining close high-level contacts, further deepening cooperation across the board, and enriching the substance of two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

Li Qiang said China will work with Malaysia to increase synergy of development strategies, fully leverage complementary strengths, promote solid progress in major projects like the East Coast Rail Link and “Two countries, Twin Parks”, expand trade and investment, broaden cooperation in logistics, new energy, artificial intelligence, digital economy, railway equipment and other fields, and step up cooperation on poverty reduction, to better achieve mutual benefits. The two countries also need to deepen tourism, education, youth, sub-national, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and further facilitate cross-border travel between the two sides. China is also ready to enhance multilateral coordination with Malaysia to jointly carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Asian values of peace, cooperation, inclusiveness and integration, uphold ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation, advance high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and conclude as soon as possible negotiations for Version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), so as to make more positive contributions to peace, stability, prosperity and development in the region and the wider world.

Anwar said Malaysia cherishes its friendship with China, and is unswervingly committed to consolidating the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Malaysia firmly upholds the one-China policy, firmly supports China in achieving national reunification, and does not support any words and deeds advocating “Taiwan independence”. Anwar noted that the relationship between Malaysia and China is now standing at a new starting point. Malaysia is ready to take the opportunity of celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations to further strengthen, in the spirit of mutual respect, exchanges at all levels, deepen cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, digital economy, education, poverty reduction and other fields, actively advance major projects, boost cultural exchanges, strengthen mutual learning of civilizations, and promote dialogue and cooperation between China and ASEAN. Malaysia supports the major initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping such as the Global Development Initiative, welcomes China’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and is ready to work with China to build a Malaysia-China community with a shared future.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The two prime ministers agreed to unswervingly strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation and take the building of the China-Malaysia community with a shared future to a higher level. Both sides will continue to promote high-quality implementation of RCEP, and strive to conclude at an early date negotiations for Version 3.0 of the CAFTA, in order to build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

The two prime ministers agreed that China and relevant ASEAN countries should handle the South China Sea issue and manage conflicts and differences independently and in a proper manner, promote dialogue and cooperation, and stay committed to solving problems through bilateral efforts.

After the talks, the two prime ministers witnessed the exchange of bilateral cooperation documents in such areas as trade, science and technology, culture, tourism, postal service, agricultural export to China, digital economy, green development, urban construction and higher education.

Before the talks, Anwar held a grand welcoming ceremony for Li Qiang at the Perdana Square in front of the Prime Minister’s Office where the two countries’ national flags fluttered high in the breeze. As the two prime ministers stepped onto the reviewing stand, the two countries’ national anthems were played. Li Qiang then reviewed the guard of honor.

Wu Zhenglong was present at the above events.