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Dewey Sim

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is planning a visit to China next month – his first in over a year – as the Southeast Asian country looks to deepen trade ties with Beijing.
According to people familiar with the planning, Anwar is expected to make a three-day visit to China in late September at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, with stops in Shanghai and Hangzhou. The trip does not include a stop in Beijing.
His itinerary was still being finalised, sources told the South China Morning Post, but the Malaysian leader was expected to attend the Global Digital Trade Expo and hold talks with Li during the trip.
The expo, one of China’s most important digital economy platforms, is scheduled to run from September 23 to 27 in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter.
The visit builds on Malaysia’s efforts to strengthen relations with China, its largest trading partner.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Malaysia in April last year. Four months later, Anwar visited China’s northern port city of Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit before attending a major military parade in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Xi and Anwar held talks on the sidelines of the military parade, with the Chinese leader describing the two Asian neighbours as “good friends with a common vision”. The countries pledged to deepen strategic coordination and strengthen cooperation.
Anwar met Li in October in Kuala Lumpur, where the premier said China had always regarded Malaysia as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy.


Anwar’s comments on Taiwan during a Monday interview with Al Jazeera drew global attention – and support from Beijing. When asked for his views on Beijing’s aggression towards the island, he said, “I see Taiwan as part of China, period.”
He stopped short of saying whether he would condemn Beijing’s use of force against Taiwan, saying instead that if a Malaysian province sought to break away, he would use force to “protect the sanctity and unity of the nation”.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. The US, like most countries, does not recognise the self-ruled island as independent but is opposed to any attempt to seize it by force and is legally bound to supply it with weapons.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry rejected Anwar’s remarks and urged the Malaysian leader to “uphold universal values such as democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law, and respect the will of the people”.
Anwar defended his comments on Thursday, saying that Malaysia had maintained its one-China policy and would continue to uphold it. “Of course, we want to seek a peaceful path whenever possible,” he was quoted by Malaysian media as saying.
Asked about Anwar’s comments, the foreign ministry in Beijing said on Wednesday that Beijing “commends” the remarks and the Malaysian prime minister’s “steadfast position” on the one-China principle.
“Upholding the one-China principle is where public opinion trends and the right thing to do. The international community’s commitment to the one-China principle is not to be shaken,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
“Let me stress once again that there is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. China must and will achieve reunification. This will not be stopped.”


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The Malaysian prime minister is expected to attend digital economy expo in Hangzhou and hold talks with Premier Li Qiang, sources say


The Malaysian prime minister is expected to attend digital economy expo in Hangzhou and hold talks with Premier Li Qiang, sources say.


.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Malaysian prime minister is expected to attend digital economy expo in Hangzhou and hold talks with Premier Li Qiang, sources say

The Malaysian prime minister is expected to attend digital economy expo in Hangzhou and hold talks with Premier Li Qiang, sources say