Chinese premier hopes for more cooperation with Malaysia

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with visiting Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo in Beijing, capital of China, March 1, 2005.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Tuesday that he hopes that both China and Malaysia will strengthen cooperation to the benefit of the people of both nations.

Premier Wen made the remarks at a meeting with Malaysian Supreme Head of State Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, who is here on a state visit to China at the invitation of President Hu Jintao.

Concerning Sino-Malaysian trade, Wen said that Sino-Malaysian trade have grown rapidly over recent years and bilateral fruitful cooperation have been conducted in agriculture, high-tech, resources development and tourism.

He said the Chinese side is satisfied with the progress scored in bilateral economic and trade cooperation and there are still huge potentials for further cooperation.

Wen also talked about the good momentum for the growth of Sino-Malaysian relations and said that the Chinese side will, in line with the principle of building friendship and partnership with neighbors, be Malaysia's good friend with mutual trust and good partner with reciprocal cooperation forever.

Wen spoke highly of China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) relations, citing the substantial progress in China-ASEAN relations last year with the setting up of their strategic partnership and the initiation of building process of their free trade area.

The Chinese side will conduct close cooperation with Malaysia to consolidate China-ASEAN partnership and raise their cooperation to a new level, he said.

Sirajuddin said that Malaysia resolutely adheres to the one-China policy and will continuously strengthen bilateral cooperation with mutual respect and reciprocal cooperation.

Malaysia-China economic and trade relations have been progressing rapidly, he acknowledged. and it is highly possible for the two countries to realize their trade goal of 50 billion US dollars in 2010.

Malaysian business communities take a positive attitude toward the expansion of bilateral economic and trade relations and will carry out cooperation in building construction and energy spheres with China in other countries, said Sirajuddin.