Ties with China set to prosper
Envoy: Trivial matters should not come between centuries-old relations
Malaysia and China remain committed to strengthening bilateral relations despite government change.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and China remain committed to strengthening bilateral relations despite the change in the Malaysian government.
Both Malaysia and China also agreed that trivial matters should not affect their relations that went back hundreds of years.
This was the message conveyed during Chinese Ambassador Bai Tian’s courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in Parliament on Thursday.
Dr Wan Azizah said the relationship between both countries had grown from strength to strength, a statement issued by the Deputy Prime Minister’s office noted yesterday.
“Now, we have more robust dealings with each other in the sphere of the nation and also women. We want more empowerment and advancement for women,” she said.
Bai said China and Malaysia had a historical friendship dating several hundred years – all the way to Admiral Cheng Ho’s historical visit to Melaka.
“So, whatever challenges that are taking place in politics, the exchange between the two people will always be there,” Bai said.
These, he said, were the fundamentals behind the two nations’ strong relationship.
“So, let us further strengthen the peopletopeople exchanges and crosscultural communications because if you have more exchanges, you will get to know the beauty of each other’s cultures and beliefs.
“We can learn from each other so that we can help each other to survive,” he said.
Bai suggested organising exchanges between Malaysian women federations and those in China so that “these sisters can learn from each other”.
He added that China was
Malaysia’s largest trading partner while Malaysia remained an important destination for Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as Chinese tourists.
Dr Wan Azizah said Malaysia would like to increase trade with China in other spheres, besides existing ones, and would like more Chinese tourists to visit the country.
“This is a new government, a new environment in that sense. The change of democracy happened peacefully. The harmony that we show and practise is important,” she added.
From January to March this year,
total trade with China increased by 0.3% to reach RM68.94bil compared with the corresponding period last year.
Total exports increased by 0.3% to RM29.18bil while total imports increased by 0.3% to RM39.75bil for the same period.
On the other hand, Bai said he would like to see more people “come and go” between both countries.
“I would like to encourage more exchanges, not only between the Malaysian Chinese with the Chinese in the mainland but also between Malay and Chinese students so that our relationship will grow more in
strength and be more widely seen and accepted,” he said.
He said Malaysia was blessed with a multicultural, multireligious and multiracial society and that the harmony among the different races and cultures “is very impressive” to the world.
Bai also expressed his admiration for the deputy premier’s strength in the face of adversity.
“I would also like to express my admiration and respect for you for showing outstanding courage and perseverance in your endeavour, together with your husband, for your party because it is very impressive,” he said. — Bernama