Int'l community speaks highly of Xi's visit to Malaysia

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Int'l community speaks highly of Xi's visit to Malaysia

(People's Daily Online) 15:49, October 10, 2013

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Edited and translated by Liang Jun

Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Malaysia from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5. In interviews with reporters from People's Daily, foreign officials and academics said President Xi's visit has strengthened the mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries as well as promoting the development of China–ASEAN relations.

The visit represented a new milestone for the development of China-Malaysia ties, said Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, Malaysian Prime Minister's Special Envoy to China.

Tian Fenglin, Chief Executive Officer of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Malaysia), pointed out that Xi's visit to Malaysia conveyed a positive message that China attaches great importance to the bilateral relationship. Cooperation between the two sides in trade and investment will further expand, mutual political trust will improve, and pragmatic cooperation in various fields can be expected to increase.

At the present rate of growth, the goal of 160 billion U.S. dollars in bilateral trade volume by 2017 can be achieved, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Utama William Cheng H.J., Executive Chairman of the Lion Group, Malaysia, told a reporter. Malaysia hopes that Chinese enterprises will invest more in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and tourism.

Tan Sri Dato' Sri Pheng Yin Huah, President of Gabungan Pertubuhan Cina Malaysia (Huazong) The Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia, described Xi's speech during a welcome luncheon by overseas Chinese as inspiring. He is confident that more Chinese firms will invest in Malaysia.

Dr.Yeah Kim Leng, Group Chief Economist of RAM Holdings Berhad, Malaysia, said that China's strong growth will serve as a catalyst to increase Malaysia's exports to China. China has made a significant contribution to promoting a much more dynamic Asian economy, to boosting investment and trade growth among Asian countries, and to helping Asia to become the world's most dynamic region.

During the visit, Xi witnessed the signing ceremony of an agreement under which China's Xiamen University will set up campuses in Malaysia. Datuk Yap Pit Kian, Director of Sekolah Menengah Pay Fong, Melaka, believes this will encourage exchange and understanding between the peoples of the two countries. It is expected that growing numbers of Chinese universities will open branches here.

Wolapot, Deputy Chief Editor of World Today, a Thai-language daily newspaper in Thailand suggested that Xi's visit represented the upgrading of bilateral ties with Malaysia and Indonesia to a comprehensive strategic partnership, indicating that China attaches importance not only to the two individual countries, but also to ASEAN as a whole. A series of measures proposed by Xi on strengthening China-ASEAN ties and building a China-ASEAN community of common destiny are generally welcomed by the ASEAN countries. China-ASEAN ties will enter a new phase.

During an interview, Qian Feng, Deputy Chief Editor, Asian Daily, a Thailand-based Chinese language newspaper, said that Xi's visit to Malaysia would strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the two sides, and lead to closer bilateral ties.

"I am convinced that this is not a zero-sum game. If China maintains and develops good diplomatic relations with its neighboring countries, the United States will also benefit indirectly," said Matthew P. Goodman, William E. Simon Chair in Political Economy, Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Rajiv Biswas, Chief Asia Economist of IHS Global Insight, believes that the visit will further accelerate the development of economic relations between the two countries. China will become a more important trading partner of Malaysia, which will promote the latter's rapid economic development.

The Vietnam News Agency reported that Xi's visit to Malaysia reflects a positive commitment on the part of China's new leaders to continue to maintain long-term friendly relations between the two countries.

Read the Chinese version: 国际社会高度评价习近平主席访问马来西亚
Source: People's Daily