KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with Malaysia to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries on building a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.
Wang urged both countries to fully implement cooperation plans for the joint construction of the Belt and Road, strengthen cooperation in economy, trade, investment, and connectivity. Key projects such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" should be steadily promoted.
He also called for deeper cooperation in emerging and frontier sectors to jointly build a regional hub for new quality productive forces.
Wang further stressed the importance of continuing efforts in the dialogue between Confucian and Islamic civilizations and the implementation of the upcoming mutual visa exemption agreement to enhance personnel exchanges and consolidate public support for bilateral ties.
China is willing to work with Malaysia to strengthen political mutual trust, deepen interest integration, enhance strategic coordination and carry forward traditional friendship to turn the roadmap drawn by the leaders of the two countries into reality, Wang said.
On China-ASEAN relations, Wang said that China and ASEAN are good neighbors, good friends, and good partners. The two sides have fully completed negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, demonstrating with concrete actions their shared commitment to expanding the common market and upholding free trade.
Wang noted that the United States' move to impose high tariffs on ASEAN countries is a typical act of bullying and unilateralism that no country would support. He said that China's firm countermeasures are not only aimed at safeguarding its own interests, but also at defending the common interests of all countries, including ASEAN members.
China, he added, is willing to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN to uphold the multilateral trading system, maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, and promote inclusive economic globalization.
For his part, Mohamad said that Malaysia-China relations are at their historical best. At a time of growing uncertainty in the world, it is high time to strengthen cooperation between Malaysia and China as well as ASEAN cooperation. He said that Malaysia values the friendship between the two countries and firmly adheres to the one-China policy.
He expressed Malaysia's support for China's three global initiatives -- the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative -- and said that the country stands ready to deepen practical cooperation with China in such areas as trade and investment, infrastructure, digital economy, and green development.
Under the current circumstances, Mohamad also stressed, it is clear who the true friends are. In facing issues such as tariffs, Malaysia will not consider only its own interests, and will not sacrifice the interests of third parties, as that is not the ASEAN way.
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