Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Zafrul Aziz has said the country sees its commitment to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a strategic imperative in its engagement with other ASEAN member states and China.
China is the largest trading partner of not only Malaysia but also ASEAN, he told the CGS China-ASEAN Business Leaders Summit on March 9, adding that China and ASEAN, with their combined population of over two billion, can shape the trajectory of the Asian Century.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is set to be a strong enabler for this as trade between ASEAN and China recorded a year-on-year increase of 15% in 2022, the first year that RCEP went into effect.
As the region rebuilds its economies from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia, together with China and ASEAN member states, may also consider establishing multilateral cooperation partnerships with other Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) participating countries.
This will help to facilitate the flow of goods, capital and services, he said, adding that Malaysia is ready to support the BRI with its skilled and multilingual talent pool./.
China is the largest trading partner of not only Malaysia but also ASEAN, he told the CGS China-ASEAN Business Leaders Summit on March 9, adding that China and ASEAN, with their combined population of over two billion, can shape the trajectory of the Asian Century.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is set to be a strong enabler for this as trade between ASEAN and China recorded a year-on-year increase of 15% in 2022, the first year that RCEP went into effect.
As the region rebuilds its economies from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia, together with China and ASEAN member states, may also consider establishing multilateral cooperation partnerships with other Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) participating countries.
This will help to facilitate the flow of goods, capital and services, he said, adding that Malaysia is ready to support the BRI with its skilled and multilingual talent pool./.
VNA
