PUTRAJAYA: China’s President Xi Jinping will make a three-day official visit to Malaysia from April 15 to 17.
It will be part of Xi’s South-East Asian tour where he will also visit two other nations – Vietnam and Cambodia.
The tour will mark Xi’s first overseas trips this year.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil (pic) said full information about the official visit will be announced by Wisma Putra soon.
Xi’s visit is also seen as part of China’s efforts to position itself as a reliable regional partner amid growing uncertainties over the United States’ engagement in South-East Asia.
The Cabinet has been informed that the visit is part of the Chinese government’s efforts to diversify trade relations with various countries, Fahmi told a press conference at the Communication Ministry yesterday.
The last time Xi visited Malaysia was in 2013. His wife Peng Liyuan accompanied him.
The last time Xi met Anwar was in Beijing last November.
Malaysia’s cooperation with China is being closely watched in the wake of economic uncertainty following the reciprocal tariffs announced by the United States.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said Malaysia will decide on how to respond to the tariffs next Monday after two high-level meetings.
The tariffs were discussed during the Special Asean Economic Ministers’ Meeting chaired by the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz yesterday.
The National Geo-Economic Command Centre will then meet on Monday to discuss the issue, taking into account the outcome of discussions between the Prime Minister and Asean government heads.
“On Monday, we will make several decisions before we send our delegation to Washington. I can’t mention the exact date yet, but it will hinge on the Cabinet decision,” he said.
“Malaysia, as chair of Asean, will collect all views on issues faced by member countries,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul is set to lead the Malaysian delegation to Washington at the end of this month to discuss the “retaliatory tariffs” announced by United States President Donald Trump on April 3.
The 24% tariff on Malaysian goods entering the US came into effect yesterday.
The tariffs are part of a broad trade policy targeting countries that have large trade deficits with the United States. It does not, however, cover all Malaysian exports to the United States.
