KUALA LUMPUR: The agreement to work together academically between Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) and Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap) will improve the mutual interest between Malaysia and China and strengthen bilateral ties, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA president said the five-year agreement, was signed by Communist Party of China (CPC) committee secretary Prof Quan Heng and Insap chairman Datuk Dr Pamela Yong.
"This agreement is to promote international understanding, scholarly and collaboration, cultural interaction and friendship by supporting educational, professional and cultural activities among researchers of both the institutions," he shared on Facebook on Saturday (June 15).
Dr Wee said he was in Shanghai to pay a courtesy visit to SASS.
"I arrived from Beijing and was welcomed by Professor Quan Heng and other leaders from SASS.
"I then witnessed the signing of the memorandum for academic cooperation between SASS and Insap," he said.
Dr Wee then shared that SASS was founded in 1958 and is China's oldest think tank for humanities and social sciences.
"It is the country's second largest institution of its kind, after the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in Beijing.
Insap, established in 1986, is an independent think-tank and research outfit that conducts research and analysis on politics, economics, education, women's rights and development, social and other issues in Malaysia.