Chinese wall screen, a gift from Wen in conjunction with his two-day
official visit to Malaysia. Wen leaves for Jakarta this evening.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said Malaysia and China share a lot of things in common although the two countries are separated by a significant geographical distance.
He said, for example, both aimed to develop their economies for the benefit of their citizens.
Najib said the closeness of Malaysia-China relations could be illustrated by the Chinese proverb "Within the four seas, all men are brothers".
He said this at a luncheon held in honour of visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at his official residence, Seri Perdana, here today. Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and wife Puan Seri Noorainee Abdul Rahman.
Najib congratulated Wen for his astute leadership and reforms that the Chinese government had undertaken to turn China into economic powerhouse that it was today.
"I'm confident that China would provide a very strong impetus towards global economic growth," he said, adding that East Asia would continue to be a vibrant economic zone in the future.
Najib also alluded to Wen's insistence that his mother, Toh Puan Rahah Mohd Noah, attend the informal dinner last night. "It indicates how much you value the historical perspective in terms of our bilateral relations which began in 1974 when my late father (Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, Malaysia's second prime minister) made his historic journey to Beijing," said Najib.
In 1974, Malaysia became the first Asean country to establish diplomatic ties with China. He said that ties between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing had developed by leaps and bounds since then.
"I don't think that my late father at that time could have envisaged how the single decision he made in 1974 has enabled the relationship to develop to the extent that we all can witness today," Najib said.
Meanwhile, Wen said Malaysia and China have had fruitful cooperation in various fields over the past 37 years, and both countries should strengthen their strategic cooperation in the future.
He described China-Malaysia bilateral relations as akin to those enjoyed by "good neighbours, good friends and good partners".
The Chinese leader said the friendship between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur was a legacy of ties forged between China's first premier Zhou Enlai and Tun Abdul Razak.
Wen said Malaysia and China were developing countries facing economic development challenges. "Therefore, with deep cooperation we can together cope with such challenges and fulfil our mutual interests,"
In this connection, China and Malaysia should look towards the future from strategic and long-term perspectives, and seek to enhance efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation, said the Chinese leader who left for Jakarta at 6.45pm today after concluding his two-day official visit to Malaysia.
Present at the KL International Airport to bid him farewell were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
