PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is looking forward to the state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He expressed hope that Malaysia-China diplomatic ties will continue to mature and remain strong in the face of future challenges.
Xi’s visit to Malaysia will take place from April 15 to 17.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Anwar said he had received a courtesy call from Guangxi Governor Lan Tianli and his delegation.
“The visit reflects the deep and longstanding relationship between Malaysia and China, especially with Guangxi as an important regional partner,” he said.
During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral trade, including cooperation in Asean, and discussed potential partnerships in artificial intelligence (AI) and the digital economy.
“Malaysia aims to become a regional AI leadership hub. We invite leading Chinese AI companies to consider setting up their regional headquarters here,” the Prime Minister said.
Anwar also highlighted progress in the Two Countries, Twin Parks initiative involving the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park.
“So far, 19 projects worth RM25.68bil have been approved under the initiative, with the potential to create over 10,000 jobs. To date, RM20.77bil has been realised, resulting in 7,572 jobs.
“This clearly shows the significant benefits of the Twin Parks cooperation for Malaysia’s economy and workforce,” he said.
Anwar noted that China had remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner for the 16th consecutive year in 2024, with total trade reaching US$106.04bil (RM484.12bil).
“Guangxi, as China’s gateway to Asean, plays a key role in facilitating bilateral trade and investment,” he added.
