BEIJING, April 1 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday paid a courtesy call on Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People here. During the visit the two leaders met for about 45 minutes. It was a face-to-face meeting for the first time between the two leaders. In his brief speech, Jinping, who welcomed Anwar’s presence, said he appreciated the visit, when the Prime Minister accepted the invitation to China even in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan.
He also noted the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries this year, as well as 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2024, and added that he hoped that under Anwar’s leadership, Malaysia and China would be able to work together more closely to bring relations between the two countries to a higher level. Jinping said, the two countries have agreed to develop a “China-Malaysia” community with dreams of a shared future.
“This bilateral relationship is a new full historic starting point,” he said. He said he hoped that under Anwar’s leadership, Malaysia and China would be able to work together more closely to bring the relationship between the two countries to a higher level. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister in his speech said that Malaysia greatly values the relationship with China. He told Jinping that his visit to China for the first time since becoming Prime Minister last November was quite exciting for the whole of Malaysia.
“I am very happy to be here. My visit has attracted a lot of attention in our homeland, and it has been observed with a sense of goodwill among many Malaysians,” he said. Anwar further expressed his admiration and respect for Jinping, for his visionary leadership, ideas and efforts in reforming China and taking the country to a higher level. You are a visionary, (and) a statesman, who talks about security, economy and civilization.
Personally, President Jinping, you have not only changed the direction of China, but also given a ray of hope to the world and humanity, with a vision that goes beyond China, to the region and the whole world, he said. Anwar was one of the first foreign leaders to visit China and meet Jinping after Jinping’s re-election as President of China for a third term on March 10. After the meeting with Jinping, the prime minister later received a courtesy call from National People’s Congress (NPC) Chairman Zhao Leji, which also took place in the Great Hall of the People.
Also present at the meeting were Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, Minister of Local Government Development, Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chang Lih Kang and the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. China is the destination of Anwar’s eighth official international visit since being sworn in as Prime Minister.
