China to enhance pragmatic co-op with Malaysia during Li's visit

BEIJING - China hopes to deepen its relations and enhance pragmatic cooperation with Malaysia on account of Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit, Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told a press briefing Tuesday.

Premier Li will attend the annual East Asia leaders' meeting in Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia and make an official visit to Malaysia from Nov 20 to 23 at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Najib Tun Razak..

Li will hold talks with Malaysian leaders and meet all circles of people during the visit, Liu said. It is the first time Li has visited Malaysia as Chinese Premier.

China highly values the relationship with Malaysia, a crucial member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Liu, noting that bilateral relationship was lifted to a comprehensive strategic partnership during President Xi Jinping's visit to the country in 2013.

The bilateral trade is now over $100 billion each year, according to Liu, adding Malaysia is the biggest trading partner with China among ASEAN countries in the past seven years while China remains Malyasia's biggest trading partner.

Mutual investment between two countries has grown rapidly, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce Gao Yan said, stressing China hopes that this visit will upgrade bilateral trade and investment cooperation, and promote positive results of cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiatives, marine industry and infrastructure construction.

A series of cooperation documents, including agreements on trade, culture exchanges and judicial cooperation, are expected to be signed during the visit, Liu said.

China also wants to push forward high-speed railway cooperation with Malaysia, said the vice minister.

South China's Guangdong Province forged friendly ties with Malaysia's Melaka state this September. Liu said he believes leaders of both countries will show their support to local-level cooperation during talks.