Zahid on official visit to China

BEIJING: The six-day visit by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to China is important in ensuring the existing ties between the top leadership, government, private agencies, business community and the people of Malaysia and China remain strong.

Malaysian ambassador to China Datuk Zainuddin Yahya said the main purpose of the visit was to boost bilateral trade and cooperation between Malaysia and China besides continuing the momentum of the success of the official visit by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak last October.

Zainuddin said the visit was also a followup to the discussion Ahmad Zahid had with China’s Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun concerning security and issues on international crime during his first visit to China in February last year, since assuming the post of deputy prime minister in July 2015.

Ahmad Zahid’s visit, from yesterday until Jan 15, was at the invitation of Guo.

Zainuddin said the deputy prime minister was scheduled to have a meeting today with the Central Political and Legal Affairs Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Meng Jianzhu.

Among other things, the discussion will be centred on cooperation in tackling security issues and anti-terrorism initiatives through the “Regional Digital Counter Messaging Communication Centre”, which was set up in Malaysia.