Anwar - Li Qiang pledge stronger trade and regional cooperation at Asean-China Summit

STRENGTHENING trade and investment ties while addressing key regional issues were at the heart of discussions between Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Chinese Premier Li Qiang during a bilateral meeting here on Tuesday.

The closed-door meeting, which lasted about 15 minutes, covered a range of topics, including China’s support for Malaysia’s peace-brokering efforts over the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute and the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.

Both leaders also explored initiatives to enhance cooperation in high-value sectors such as the automotive and high-tech industries, including the development of the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) in Tanjung Malim.

Discussions also touched on infrastructure connectivity, including the proposed extension of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang, rare earth element (REE) projects, the Perak–Penang water pipeline, and the halal industry.

Tourism and people-to-people exchanges featured prominently, with both sides seeking to improve air connectivity and attract more cargo flights from China to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Cooperation in the semiconductor sector and support for the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative were also reaffirmed.

“As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia welcomes China’s participation in advancing the ASEAN Power Grid to promote sustainable energy cooperation across the region,” Anwar said.

On the digital economy, Malaysia invited leading Chinese technology companies to expand their operations and investments in the country, while encouraging new firms to establish regional hubs.

Earlier, Anwar remarked: “You have visited Malaysia many times, and I too have visited China often. I appreciate your participation—it means a lot to Malaysia and ASEAN. I believe today we will focus on bilateral issues.” He also thanked President Xi Jinping for inviting him to China’s 80th anniversary celebrations, adding that he looked forward to meeting him in South Korea later this week.

Attending the meeting were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, his deputy Liew Chin Tong, and Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Li Qiang later joined the signing ceremony for the upgraded ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA 3.0) agreement, witnessed by both premiers before the start of the 28th ASEAN-China Summit.

During the summit, ASEAN leaders reaffirmed the bloc’s central role in maintaining balance among major global powers. Anwar, as ASEAN Chair, said the region remained steadfast in engaging constructively with both the United States and China.

“Yesterday we were with US President Donald Trump, and today we are with China. This clearly reflects ASEAN’s centrality. I commend my ASEAN colleagues for their wisdom in maintaining this principle and nurturing friendly relations with all nations,” Anwar said in his opening address.

Premier Li, meanwhile, called for a renewed commitment to global cooperation and rejected “unilateralism” in trade, warning against a return to “the law of the jungle.”

“Economic globalisation and multipolarity are irreversible,” Li said. “The world should not return to the law of the jungle where the strong bully the weak.”

He stressed that protectionism posed “huge risks to the region” and urged nations to uphold a fair and open international trading system.

The ASEAN-China Summit took place just days before a highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, where both leaders are expected to discuss ways to end the ongoing trade dispute between their countries. - October 28, 2025