KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received a courtesy call from Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is in Malaysia to attend the 6th Malaysia-Australia Annual Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
The meeting took place at the Parliament building where the leaders discussed efforts to boost bilateral cooperation in economy, defence, cybersecurity, and higher education in anticipation of the 70th anniversary of Malaysia-Australia diplomatic relations in 2025.
Australia also voiced its support for Malaysia as the country gears up to chair Asean next year.
The Prime Minister extended another invitation to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to attend the Asean Summit in 2025 during his conversation with Wong.
The theme for Malaysia's upcoming Asean chairmanship will be "Inclusivity and Sustainability", reflecting Malaysia's intention to steer Asean towards equitable, sustainable, and inclusive growth.
During the meeting, which lasted for about 30 minutes, Australia also expressed sympathy to Malaysia for the floods currently affecting the country.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was also present during the meeting.
According to Wisma Putra, Malaysia and Australia have maintained a strong diplomatic relationship since 1957. In 2023, Australia was Malaysia’s largest trading partner, the primary export destination, and the largest source of imports among countries in the Oceania region, with a total trade value of RM84.64bil (US$18.56bil). – Bernama
