BEIJING: Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof advised Malaysians in China, especially students, to emulate the positive values of the Chinese people to be adopted upon their return to Malaysia.
The Deputy Prime Minister also advised Malaysian students in China to make the most of their time studying there to learn from the hardworking spirit and learning methods of the people in the country.
"China has achieved its level of development due to decades of dedication and hard work. Bring these positive values back to Malaysia," said Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister.
Fadillah was speaking at a dinner and get-together with the Malaysian diaspora in Beijing, organised by the Malaysian embassy in China, which was attended by nearly 200 Malaysians.
Also present at the event were the Deputy Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Ruziah Mohd Tahir, and the Malaysian ambassador to China, Datuk Norman Muhamad.
He also reminded Malaysian students in China to promote Malaysia's culture and good values and to make themselves a source of national pride in the eyes of the world.
According to Fadillah, the number of Malaysian students in China has reached 6,000, with 1,600 in Beijing.
He expressed hope that the large number of Malaysian students in China would contribute to increasing the number of experts in various fields in Malaysia in the future, thus ensuring the country's growth and development.
At the event, the Deputy Prime Minister also opened the floor for a Q&A session and listened to suggestions from the guests.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that the China-Malaysia relationship is currently at its strongest level in history, with several high-level visits between the two countries this year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited China early this month, and President Xi Jinping visited Malaysia in April this year, while Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang made an official visit to Malaysia in June last year.
Fadillah is currently on an official visit to China from Sept 16 to 23 at the invitation of the Chinese government.
Before Beijing, Fadillah visited Nanning and delivered a speech representing Malaysia at the opening of the 22nd China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO) on Sept 17, followed by a visit to Chongqing on Sept 19.
China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching US$106.4bil (RM444.15bil) in 2024. - Bernama
