China and Malaysia set goals to strengthen relationship

China and Malaysia have set new goals and identified new priorities to push bilateral cooperation to scale new heights, visiting State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

Wang made the remarks while meeting press with Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur. Wang on the same day also met with Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein respectively.

China and Malaysia agreed to make efforts to build a community with a shared future between the two sides to usher in broader development prospects.

The two countries agreed to promote the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the materialization of the Global Development Initiative, and foster new growth points of cooperation including digital economy and green development.

The two sides dovetailed development blueprints for mutual connectivity. China and Malaysia would push construction of the Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link and development along the route, and maintain communication over the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail.

The two sides also discussed to realize connected development and accelerate regional integration by connecting the China–Laos railway and China-Thailand Railway.

The two sides discussed a series of practical measures benefiting the people. China said it is willing to import more quality agricultural product from Malaysia.

Malaysian international students will be arranged return to China and resume classes, and direct flights between the two countries are planned to be greatly increased.

The two countries garnered political consensus on upholding peace and stability in the region. They would champion true multilateralism, practice open regionalism, uphold ASEAN centrality, as well as reject the bloc confrontation and the Cold War mentality.

China and Malaysia agreed to accelerate the negotiation of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to build the SCS into a sea of peace and cooperation.

Malaysia was the last stop of Wang's tour to Southeast Asia nations, which took him to Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Wang said during the tour he had deeply felt the countries' strong aspirations for peaceful development, the profound friendship between China and ASEAN countries as well as urgent needs for China and ASEAN to cooperate with each other.

Noting people between China and ASEAN enjoy thousands years of friendly exchanges, Wang said no one could tear them apart or stop China and ASEAN from developing and rejuvenating.

China would like to work with ASEAN countries to deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen strategic coordination to safeguard stability in the region and promote common development as well as ceaselessly strive for world peace and prosperity, he added.