Li Qiang Holds Talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim

On the afternoon of April 1, 2023, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council held talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was on his official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People.

Li Qiang said that President Xi Jinping and Mr. Prime Minister have achieved important common understandings on jointly building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, drawing a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations in the new era. Li Qiang said that both sides should take the common understandings as guidance to strive for higher-quality development of bilateral cooperation, increase the well-being of the two countries and the two peoples, and contribute strength to regional and global peace, stability, development and prosperity.

Li Qiang pointed out that China and Malaysia, as developing countries and emerging economies, should leverage respective comparative advantages to advance cooperation in the next stage. The two sides should deepen the alignment of development strategies, and facilitate higher-level two-way opening up and promote the alignment of higher-standard economic and trade investment policies. Both sides should promote integrated development, and China welcomes deep integration of Malaysian and Chinese industrial, supply, data, and talent chains, to jointly advance cooperation in major projects and realize greater mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes. The two sides should strengthen cooperation in emerging industries, and encourage the improvement and upgrade of bilateral cooperation oriented towards innovation, smart, digital and green areas. China is ready to expand the import of quality unique products from Malaysia, strengthen cooperation in agriculture, and share experience in poverty alleviation. The two sides should step up friendship and mutual trust, and actively carry out cooperation in such fields as education, culture, tourism, media and think tanks. China stands ready to work with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Li Qiang said that Asia is our shared home, and win-win cooperation is the only right choice. China is ready to work with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to actively advance negotiations on the further enhancement of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA 3.0), jointly implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and constantly promote the building of the East Asia economic community. China will continue to firmly support ASEAN centrality, work with ASEAN countries to jointly maintain the right course of East Asia cooperation, build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful, and amicable home together, and build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. The two countries should unequivocally defend multilateralism, safeguard the common interests of vast number of developing countries and emerging economies, and make greater contributions to improving the global governance system.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that China, as Malaysia’s great friend, has not only achieved great success in economy, but also shown neighboring countries kindness and sincerity, deeply moving them. Malaysia and China enjoy a shared future, all walks of life of Malaysia are committed to strengthening friendship with China, and the new Malaysian government prioritizes developing relations with China. Malaysia remains firmly committed to the one-China policy, and believes that Xinjiang-related questions are China’s internal affairs. Malaysia supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China, and stands ready to deepen Belt and Road cooperation with China, advance cooperation in such fields as automobiles, energy, culture and tourism, agriculture, and digital economy, increase personnel exchanges between both sides, learn success experience from China in poverty alleviation and other fields, and work for further development of Malaysia-China relations. ASEAN countries are ready to deepen dialogue and cooperation with China, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.

After the talks, Li Qiang and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents on economy and trade, agriculture, and customs.

Before the talks, Li Qiang held a welcoming ceremony for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

Qin Gang and others were present at the events.