The friendship between China and Malaysia has a long history, and the development of relations between the two countries has always been at the forefront of countries in the region. 2023 is the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. As one of the first countries to respond to the Belt and Road Initiative, Malaysia has reaped fruitful results in the process of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Belt and Road Initiative has yielded fruitful results

The Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, located in Kuantan, the capital of Pahang State in the East Bay of Malaysia, is a demonstration base for major projects planned for the Belt and Road Initiative and cross-border international production capacity cooperation. Since its official opening in 2013, the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park and the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park have developed jointly, creating a model of economic cooperation and innovation between the two countries under the dual-park model.

The 600-kilometer-long Malaysia-East Railway is regarded as a road bridge connecting the east and west coasts of Malaysia. It is also a landmark project of China-Malaysia joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. After opening to traffic, it will change the state of Kelantan on the east coast to Selangor on the west coast. The status quo of railway accessibility directly benefits the local people's livelihood.

In recent years, China-Malaysia bilateral trade has flourished. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years. .

Reporter: Let's talk about the Belt and Road Initiative. In fact, Malaysia was one of the first countries to express support for the initiative. Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the major projects of cooperation between the two parties include the Malaysia East Coast Railway, China-Malaysia Twin Parks and other projects. Malaysian durians are becoming more and more popular among Chinese consumers, and I am also one of the durian lovers. At the Boao Forum for Asia, you emphasized that we should further consolidate the momentum of Belt and Road cooperation. Can you expand on how the Belt and Road Initiative can further promote the coordinated development of the two countries?

Anwar: We want to build on what we have achieved so far. In my speech last month, I mentioned the establishment of an Asian Monetary Fund or some kind of Asian common currency, and President Xi Jinping responded positively to that. We can explore further cooperation in this regard. In addition, we both agree to work together and share research in agriculture, science, digital technology, and economics.

Reporter: Mr. Prime Minister, during the Boao Forum for Asia, you talked about competition in technology. You mentioned that future competition could have positive or negative effects. What do you think of the recent trend of politicizing technology in some countries?

Anwar: Do you understand why I said these words at the Boao Forum for Asia? Because I think the contribution of any country in terms of technology and digital economy is of positive significance. I urge everyone to share in such results. I don't see it as a threat, competition, or new means of control, but some countries seem to think so, unfortunately. No matter what results are achieved, it is beneficial to the region, such as mobile phone applications. If there are concerns about access rights, that can be discussed in detail, there may be some concerns about users, application software, etc., but this should not be used as an excuse to stifle development or treat any innovation as a threat.

The prospects for cooperation between the two countries are broad

Reporter: Malaysia is the sixth largest exporter of semiconductors. What do you think of the prospect of cooperation between China and Malaysia in this regard?

Anwar: Malaysia is one of the few countries with a certain accumulation in semiconductor production. Now I heard that some big Chinese companies are investing in and expanding the semiconductor field, and we can cooperate in this regard.

Reporter: Let's talk about China-ASEAN cooperation. Malaysia is the first ASEAN country to invite China to have a dialogue with ASEAN and hold a China-ASEAN leaders' meeting. The two sides are continuing to cooperate, and both are advancing the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 negotiations. What role do you think Malaysia can play in this process?

Anwar: We have a clear attitude in this regard, because this is a very pragmatic consideration. We have long-term relationship with America, Europe, Australia and India. But I think China has been an important neighbor of Malaysia for the past few decades. China has always been very candid, willing to help and communicate actively. Even on some controversial issues, such as the South China Sea issue, China has not shown an aggressive, arrogant, and harsh attitude, but proposed to continue dialogue with us. So after I took office, I proposed that Malaysia pursue an independent policy, and the most beneficial way for us is to maintain good relations with neighboring countries.Editor/Ma Xue