KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has arrived in China for a four-day working visit at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, with trade, investment and regional cooperation expected to dominate the agenda.
Anwar landed on Sunday evening and proceeded directly to a gala dinner hosted by Xi, who is chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
On Monday, Anwar will represent Malaysia in his capacity as Asean chair at the SCO Plus summit, where he is due to outline Malaysia’s efforts to position both the country and the region as a hub for trade and investment, Bernama reported.
His itinerary also includes a public lecture at Tianjin University, China’s oldest modern higher learning institution, where he will speak on the theme “Sovereign Interdependence: Building a Shared Future in Asia.”
The Malaysian leader is further scheduled to join other dignitaries at a military parade in Tiananmen Square on September 3, held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Writing on Facebook, Anwar said: “We will make full use of this visit to strengthen Malaysia-China friendship and boost cooperation in investment, trade and other sectors for the wellbeing of the Malaysian people.”
This marks Anwar’s fourth visit to China since becoming prime minister in November 2022, underscoring the depth of Malaysia-China relations.
China remains Malaysia’s largest trading partner, with two-way trade amounting to RM484 billion in 2024 – or 16.8% of Malaysia’s total global trade worth RM2.8 trillion. — August 31, 2025