Malaysian PM meets HKSAR chief executive on ties, cooperation

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with John Lee, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), here on Thursday to enhance ties and cooperation.

Anwar said he discussed issues of interest including trade, investment, finance, transit rail system, education and tourism cooperation with Lee.

Noting that Malaysia is Hong Kong's ninth-largest trading partner and the third-largest among member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Lee said that the bilateral trade in goods between the two sides last year recorded a year-on-year increase of 7 percent, reaching 28.1 billion U.S. dollars.

He added that the HKSAR government will further strengthen cooperation and exchanges with Malaysia in such areas as commerce and trade, investment, innovation and technology, as well as culture and tourism.

Lee, who will continue his visit in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, will visit local enterprises and attend a business luncheon jointly organized by the HKSAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to exchange views with local business leaders.

Lee is leading a delegation to Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia to further strengthen the cooperation between Hong Kong and ASEAN member states.