BEIJING: Malaysians in China, especially students, should emulate the positive values of the Chinese to be adopted upon their return to Malaysia, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Deputy Prime Minister also urged Malaysian students to make the most of their time studying there to learn from the hardworking spirit and learning methods of the Chinese people.
"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.
He 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, Bernama reported.
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.
Fadillah said Malaysian students should also help to promote the country's culture and good values, and to make themselves a source of national pride in the eyes of the world.
According to him, the number of Malaysian students in China has reached 6,000, with 1,600 studying in Beijing.
He expressed hope that the large number of Malaysians there would increase the number of experts in various fields 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.
Fadillah said the China-Malaysia relationship is currently at its strongest level in history with several high-level visits between both countries this year.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited China while President Xi Jinping visited Malaysia in April this year.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang made an official visit to Malaysia in June last year.
Fadillah is currently on an official visit to China from Sept 16 until today at the invitation of the Chinese government.
Before Beijing, he visited Nanning and delivered a speech representing Malaysia at the opening of the 22nd China-Asean Expo 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.
