Thursday November 12, 2009
Cooperation ensures Beijing-KL ties stay strong
By DHARMENDER SINGH and NG SI HOOI
Seeing is believingChina and Malaysia to boost strategic cooperation Malaysia, China agree to beef up ties
PUTRAJAYA: Shifting into an exciting phase and entering into a new era of in-depth growth - that was how Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and President Hu Jintao described the close ties between the two countries.
The two leaders, who last met in Beijing in June, agreed that the solid relations between Malaysia and China was a result of close co-operation in many fields ranging from historical, economics, politics and culture.
Yesterday, the bilateral ties were further cemented when two agreements and three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between the two countries.
The agreements are Supplementary Agreement to the General Loan Agreement Regarding Utilisation of the Preferential Buyer’s Credit and Preferential Buyer’s Credit Loan Agreement on Penang Second Bridge Project.
The MoUs are on cooperations in banking supervision, higher education and sewerage services industry.
Speaking at a joint press conference after one-hour meeting at the Prime Minister’s office here, Najib also reiterated the Malaysian government’s agreement in principle to grant the construction of the double tracking rail project from Gemas to Johor Baru, to a Chinese company.
Both countries had also agreed that projects like the Second Penang Bridge be implemented soon while discussing other possibilities including Malaysia’s commitment to grant to a Chinese company the construction of the Mengkuang Dam and current negotiations over the paper and pulp and the aluminium smelter plant projects in Sarawak.
“We had an excellent meeting. We also believe the relations are poised to enter a more exciting phase and both leaders are committed towards bringing our bilateral relations to even higher plains.
“President Hu’s visit was not only important symbolically because it is taking place during our 35th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties but also very substantive because in today’s discussion we covered a very wide range of subject and topic and both countries agree that there is enormous scope to advance bilateral relations,” Najib said.
“The signing ceremony between Bank Negara and China Banking Regulatory Commission will open up a new area of cooperation in the financial sector between our two countries - this is very meaningful in view of the current global challenges that we face as well as our goal of achieving a deeper integration of our two economies,” he said.
Hu said both leaders agreed to maintain a high level of exchanges and work together to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure development, technology and tourism.
“China and Malaysia are friendly neighbours and in our 35 years of relations it has become more and more mature and the cooperation in all fields has borne bountiful fruit,” he added.
Last year’s two-way trade volume, Hu said, had crossed US$53bil and Malaysia has become China’s largest trading partner among Asean countries.
Later at a lunch hosted by Najib in Kuala Lumpur, Hu said the China-Malaysia relationship now enjoyed greater prospect and stressed the need to intensify cooperation.
“To strengthen the strategic and cooperative relationship with Malaysia is an important part of China’s foreign policy towards neighbouring countries.
Hu said China was ready to intensify coordination and collaboration with Malaysia to promote regional cooperation.
“As an important member of Asean, Malaysia has always played an active part in regional cooperation,” he said.
Hu said the 1.3 billion Chinese people were advancing with unity and confidence along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics toward prosperity and modernisation.
“As the deep impact of the global financial crisis persists, we should join hands and take full advantage of our economic ties to deepen business cooperation, seek new growth areas in trade and investment and achieve mutual benefit and common development,” he said.
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