Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says Malaysia will closely monitor ASEAN agreement implementation to ensure people benefit from trade access.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and China reaffirmed their close ties at the Asean–China Summit, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasised trust, dialogue, and cooperation as the pillars of regional stability.
In his opening remarks at the summit, Anwar welcomed Premier Li Qiang of China, highlighting the importance of Asean centrality.
“If people are curious, the day before we were with President Donald Trump of the United States of America, and today we are back with China.
“This reflects Asean centrality,” he said, praising ASEAN members for maintaining friendly relations with all major powers.
Anwar noted the significance of the upgraded Asean–China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0, describing it as an important step in our economic cooperation and commending both sides for achieving the milestone.
On his Facebook account, Anwar also shared that his meeting with Premier Li focused on strengthening bilateral trade and investment.
“This meeting strengthens the close Malaysia–China friendship that continues trust and mutual respect, becoming a symbol of a bilateral relationship that is getting stronger and witnessing regional stability,” he said.
He highlighted Malaysia’s commitment to expanding high-value exports in sectors including electronics, aerospace, medical technology, renewable energy, and oil and gas under the Belt and Road Initiative framework.
Key projects such as the Automotive Hi-Tech Valley in Tanjung Malim, a result of Proton–Geely cooperation, the East Coast Rail Link expansion, and port collaborations were also discussed, with Anwar saying they have the potential to position Malaysia as a regional logistics and maritime hub.
Anwar further welcomed continued Chinese investment in digital, semiconductor, and green technology.
“We aspire to become Asean’s premier innovation hub,” he said.
The meeting also covered regional peace efforts, including the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement between Cambodia and Thailand.
“Premier Li expressed China’s support for the peace efforts sealed on the occasion of the 47th Asean Summit — a triumph of Asean diplomacy in upholding peace through trust and dialogue,” Anwar wrote.
Discussions also touched on Myanmar, with China reaffirming its commitment to supporting ceasefire maintenance and bringing all parties back to the negotiating table for regional peace and prosperity.
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