Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Beijing, capital of China, March 31, 2023. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei]

BEIJING -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji met with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Beijing on Friday.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China and Malaysia are both developing countries and emerging markets in Asia, and China is willing to strengthen strategic communication and advance high-quality practical cooperation with Malaysia, while promoting people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations.

China's NPC is willing to further expand exchanges with the Malaysian parliament to create a sound policy and legal environment for deepening cooperation, and jointly push forward the modernization drives of the two countries, Zhao said.

Noting that China and Malaysia are a community with a shared future, Anwar said the Malaysian side is willing to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and strengthen people-to-people and legislative exchanges to push bilateral ties to a new level.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Beijing, capital of China, March 31, 2023. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei]