Beijing, May 26 - Chinese Premier Li Qiang has advocated for increased trade and investment relations with Malaysia. This call was made during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday. Li Qiang emphasized the importance of both nations protecting free and multilateral trade, according to Xinhua.
Premier Li is currently in Kuala Lumpur for a summit involving leaders from Southeast Asian and Gulf countries. This visit follows his recent three-day trip to Indonesia. The meeting with Anwar Ibrahim occurred after President Xi Jinping's tour of the region last month, amidst tariff tensions with the United States.
Li Qiang highlighted the need for cooperation between China, ASEAN, and GCC countries. He stated this is crucial to uphold open regionalism and true multilateralism amid rising unilateralism and protectionism. China aims to collaborate with Malaysia to enhance economic cooperation and address global challenges.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) comprises six Arab states, including major oil producers like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Malaysia is hosting the ASEAN-GCC-China summit this week. ASEAN is China's largest trading partner, with trade reaching $234 billion in the first quarter of 2025.