China and Malaysia should ‘firmly support each other’, Xi Jinping tells Anwar Ibrahim

China and Malaysia should “enhance political trust and firmly support each other’s core interests and major concerns”, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Beijing on Thursday.

China and Malaysia are “key representatives” of developing nations and emerging economies in Asia, Xi said, as he called for a high-level strategic partnership and stronger “coordination on international and regional issues”, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

The two countries should “firmly support each other, jointly oppose protectionism, and … advocate for an equitable and orderly multipolar world, [and] inclusive and beneficial economic globalisation”, Xi told Anwar.

This came as Anwar wrapped up a four-day working visit to China, which began on Monday with a stop in Shanghai. He visited the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) and met his Chinese counterpart, Premier Li Qiang, there before arriving in Beijing on Wednesday evening.

Anwar told Xi Malaysia was “committed to further deepening its comprehensive strategic partnership with China”, and sought closer cooperation in areas including information technology, the digital economy and energy, according to CCTV.

He also cited “similar ideas and close positions on many major international and regional issues”.