Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

By Love Royce S/O Miclamani

2013-121814

Topic : Ministry of Foreign Affairs

        

       

      Recently, at the invitation of our Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, His Excellency Xi Jinping , the President of the People’s Republic of China undertook a  State visit to Malaysia from 03-05 October 2013 and met our Prime Minister, Dato Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak

                   

                      Figure 1.- Chinese President and Malaysian Prime Minister jointly meet

                                      the press in Kuala Lumpur.

                                    

            The 2 sides spoke highly of the progress of Malaysia- China relationship and agreed to elevate the Malaysia-China strategic cooperation to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ .  It marked a new level of the bilateral cooperation of the two countries in various fields such as investment, tourism , education, financial services, infrastructure development and defence. 

            President Xi Jinping mentioned that both Malaysia and China should expand economic and trade cooperation, aiming for 160 million USD in bilateral trade by 2017. To my understanding the programme will add impetus to the already vibrant economic cooperation with the most visible being the China –Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial park which was launched in April 2012 and the Malaysia-china Kuantan industrial park on February 2013.Even in the past years Malaysia has been China’s top trading partner with ASEAN for five years in a row since 2008. While, in the tourism sector Malaysian tourism minister Ng Yen Yen says there are 1.5 million tourists from China that visited Malaysia on 2012 and the ministry is expecting 2 million tourist from China to visit Malaysia this year(2013).

                              

                                    Figure 2.- China - Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park Signing Ceremony

                              

                                Ffigure 3.- Malaysia - China Kuantan Industrial Park Signing Ceremony 

      Both agreed to continuously enhance bilateral people-to-people exchanges and local level cooperation. Both Malaysia and china welcomed the designation of the year 2014 as the ‘Malaysia -China Year of Friendly Exchanges ‘. The arrival of giant Panda’s to Malaysia will signify a new level of partnership especially when both countries celebrated the 40’th anniversary  of the establishment of diplomatic relations in the same year. 

                              Figure 4.- Anticipation for the arrival of Pandas to Malaysia on 2014.

      In my opinion Malaysia should also consider about opening some amazing parks for recreational purposes as well as to promote or expose the diverse culture of Malaysia in China as it will further reinforce the bond between both countries. The two countries will undertake a series of celebration activities to promote exchanges and cooperation in fields like education, culture and tourism between the two countries. In my opinion, activities that include the exchanges of youth groups and art troupes should also be considered alongside with the other activities that are organized as it will expose the people especially the younger generation to the culture of the respective countries.

       His Excellency President Xi Jinping also urged the two countries to tighten cooperation in telecommunication, remote sensing satellite and biological technology. Plus , he and our Prime Minister also suggested that both China and Malaysia should make full use of the defense and security consultation and join in hands combating terrorism. I totally support all this ideas and would like to suggest that both leaders of the countries should have frequent mutual visits, increase communication on major issues and strengthen top level designs of bilateral relations. I believe it is indeed very important for Malaysia and China to collaborate extensively in promoting peace , stability, mutual respect and confidence building and not to mention that it will contribute greatly to the development of both countries and the well being of the citizens.        

References:

1. Retrieved on October 20, from 

    http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjdt/wshd/default_3.shtml

2. Retrieved on October 20, from

    http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013xiapec/2013-10/09/content_17016062.htm

 3. Retrieved on October 20 from

     www.kln.gov.my/

4. Retrieved on October 20, from 

    www.janes.com/.../china-and-malaysia-agree-to-comprehensive-strategic..

 5. Retrieved on October 20, from

     http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/08/21/pandas-will-only-arrive-in-mid-2014/