Wang Yi: Promote the Long-term and Stable Development of China-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

On September 12, 2019, when jointly meeting the press with Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah of Malaysia after their talks in Beijing, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed, China and Malaysia, having experienced hardships together and assisted each other over the past 45 years, decide to continue inheriting and carrying forward the traditional friendship and promoting the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, so as to enable China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership to stay vigorous in the new era and maintain long-term and stable development.

Wang Yi expressed, China-Malaysia relations are one of the most dynamic and substantive partnerships in this region, bringing solid interests to the two peoples and making positive contributions to the regional peace and stability. Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah and I have agreed to make efforts in the following five aspects:

First, we will deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and work together to pursue common development. China-Malaysia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative starts early, with solid foundation and great potential. China has become Malaysia's biggest trade partner for ten consecutive years and the biggest investing country of Malaysia's manufacturing industry for three consecutive years. The two sides will continue to build China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park and Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park into important links of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor to boost the interconnected development of the two countries and the region and contribute to the high-quality development of joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative. We will also continuously explore new cooperation fields in digital economy, artificial intelligence, automobile manufacturing, agriculture, fishery and other areas to further increase the increment of bilateral cooperation.

Second, we will enhance mutual learning between our two civilizations and cultures to promote mutual understanding. China and Malaysia are both multi-ethnic and multi-cultural countries. We will strengthen the dialogue and exchanges between Chinese civilization and Islamic civilization of Malaysia, so as to deepen our understanding of each other's national conditions and cope with the social challenges we are both facing, and in particular, to support each other on issues related to each other's core interests and major concerns. We will take the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Malaysia diplomatic relationship this year and the China-Malaysia Cultural Tourism Year next year as opportunities to hold a series of exchange activities in culture, education, sports, tourism, youth and other people-to-people and cultural fields to constantly consolidate the popular support for China-Malaysia friendship.

Third, we will properly resolve differences and disputes to safeguard peace and stability. With the joint efforts of China, Malaysia and countries in this region, situation in the South China Sea in recent years has been notably cooled down and become more stable. As important littoral countries in the South China Sea, we decide to continue to resolve differences properly to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. To this end, both sides agree to build a bilateral negotiation mechanism on maritime issues as a new platform for the two sides to conduct dialogues and cooperation on maritime issues.

The Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea is a regional rule conducted by China and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to jointly safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea. It is also an updated and enhanced version of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea. China will, along with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries, strive to accomplish the COC negotiations by the end of 2021 and give full play to its role as the stabilizer of the South China Sea.

Fourth, we will advance regional cooperation in East Asia and strengthen multilateral coordination. Malaysia is an important founding member of the ASEAN, as well as a pioneer of China-ASEAN friendship. The Chinese side is glad to see the greater role Malaysia plays in China-ASEAN relations and East Asian cooperation. We both agreed to improve and upgrade China-ASEAN relations, accelerate the negotiation on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and work together to grasp and advance the cooperation progress of East Asia, so as to promote the connectivity, development and prosperity of the whole region.

Fifth, we will jointly carry forward the Asian values and safeguard international justice. Currently, with the exacerbation of global issues, international multilateralism is facing challenges and trade protectionism is on the rise. As representatives of Asia's emerging economies and eastern civilizations, China and Malaysia will work together to enhance coordination and cooperation on the international multilateral arena, jointly safeguard multilateralism with the Charter of the United Nations as the core and the World Trade Organization-based free trade system and make positive contributions to the development of Asia and the world.

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