Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 19, 2023. At the invitation of Speaker of the lower house of parliament of Malaysia, Johari Abdul, Zhao paid an official friendly visit to the country from Thursday to Saturday. [Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan]

KUALA LUMPUR -- China and Malaysia have agreed to further promote practical cooperation and cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, top Chinese legislator Zhao Leji said.

During a three-day visit to Malaysia which ended on Saturday, Zhao, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), met with Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Speaker of the lower house of parliament Johari Abdul, respectively.

At a meeting with the Malaysian supreme head of state, Zhao said China and Malaysia have developed sound and stable relations, and achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders.

He noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership, and next year will be the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

China is ready to join hands with Malaysia to build a China-Malaysia community with a shared future at a high level and with high quality, Zhao said.

Noting bilateral relations are at their historical best, King Abdullah said both sides should strengthen practical cooperation and deepen cultural exchanges so as to further promote Malaysia-China ties in the next 50 years.

When meeting with Prime Minister Anwar, Zhao said practical cooperation and cultural and people-to-people exchanges are the twin engines driving the development of China-Malaysia relations.

He said he hopes that both sides will jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality and expand cooperation in various fields.

China is willing to enhance cultural exchanges with Malaysia and boost mutual understanding between the two peoples, especially among the youths, Zhao said.

China is ready to deepen friendship and mutual trust, and achieve common development with its neighbors including Malaysia by upholding the policy of neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, as well as building friendship and partnership with neighbors, he added.

For his part, Anwar said Malaysia has attached great importance to relations with China, and is willing to further deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership and jointly build the Malaysia-China community with a shared future.

The prime minister noted that Malaysia regards China as a trustworthy, good friend and is willing to continue to push for the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road, strengthen cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, digital economy, agriculture, poverty reduction, culture, tourism and youth, and advance major projects of "Two Countries, Twin Parks," so as to bring more benefit to the two peoples.

At a meeting with Johari, Zhao said developing bilateral ties should be guided by the joint efforts of building the China-Malaysia community with a shared future, calling for closer mutually beneficial cooperation and cultural and people-to-people exchanges as part of the endeavor to create a favorable external environment for the common development of the two countries.

China's NPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with the parliament of Malaysia at all levels and share experience in order to provide policy and legal guarantees for the cooperation between the two countries, he said.

Johari expressed the hope that the friendly exchanges with China's NPC will be strengthened, and the exchanges between the lawmakers of the two countries will be closer, adding that the two sides can exchange views on food security and other issues, and work for getting more Malaysian students to study in China.

Zhao briefed the Malaysian side on China's modernization and whole-process people's democracy, among others. The Malaysian side said that the fruits of China's development will benefit the whole region and the world at large.

During his stay in Malaysia, Zhao also visited the Asia-Pacific office of the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, where he encouraged the Huawei staff members to work harder and strengthen technological innovation, making contributions to the China-Malaysia mutually beneficial cooperation.

When meeting with Chief Minister of Malacca state Ab Rauf Yusoh, Zhao said the Chinese side is willing to further expand cooperation with the Malaysian side at the regional level.