PETALING JAYA: China has expressed a desire to see the projects under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) fully implemented in Malaysia.
Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing singled out the Two Countries, Twin Parks and the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) as the signature projects that, he said, would bring development opportunities to local areas and job opportunities to local people.
The Two Countries, Twin Parks is an initiative to promote industrial cooperation between the two countries under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, while the ECRL is a rail link from Port Klang across the peninsula to Kota Bharu.
In a statement issued to FMT, Ouyang said there was also a need to strengthen cooperation in agricultural trade, enhance cultural and educational exchanges and carry out more people-to-people connection programmes.
He was commenting on the recent visit by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to China.
Ouyang described Anwar’s visit as historic for a number of reasons.
He said this was the first meeting between two leaders who had just begun a new term as heads of their respective governments.
Xi Jinping began an unprecedented third term in office as president of China last month, and Anwar was appointed prime minister after the 15th general election in November last year.
Ouyang said Anwar was among the first foreign dignitaries received by the Chinese government after it had begun a new term.
At the same time, this was Anwar’s first official visit to China since taking office.
He said that at their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 31, Xi and Anwar reached a consensus on building a China-Malaysia community and a shared future.
This, he said, was a continuation of a “long-term friendship” between the two countries that had lasted centuries.
“Xi and Anwar recalled Admiral Zheng He’s five visits to Melaka dating back 600 years ago,” he said.
Ouyang said many of the ideas and proposals by Xi, especially those on building a community with a shared future, reflected the aspirations expressed under the “Malaysia Madani” slogan.
“This is the reason why we have chosen to openly support this vision,” he said.
He said that building a shared future was a reflection of the win-win cooperation between the two countries.
“During his visit, Anwar and Premier Li Qiang also witnessed the signing of a series of memoranda of understanding and cooperation in the areas of the economy and trade, agriculture as well as customs services,” Ouyang said.
Anwar was accompanied by a 300-member delegation comprising entrepreneurs who also met with their Chinese counterparts in Beijing to exchange views and share wisdom with a view to working jointly to promote the development of ties between the two countries.
Nineteen of the agreements signed between the two parties will lead to new investments worth RM170 billion in Malaysia, a record high.
Anwar and Li also expressed their commitment to strengthen ties between their two countries.
They also called for efforts to strengthen unity and cooperation to jointly cope with risks and challenges at the Boao Forum.
The Boao Forum is a non-profit organisation that brings together government and business leaders as well as academia of 25 Asian countries and Australia to share their vision on the most pressing regional and global issues.
Ouyang said the leaders of both countries had mapped out the blueprint of the future ties between China and Malaysia and the direction they would follow.
“Going forward, we must enhance and align our development strategy, deepen cooperation, organically integrate the realisation of Chinese modernisation with the implementation of Malaysia Madani and bring more benefits to the people of both countries,” he added. - FMT
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