KUALA LUMPUR: The Year 2014 will be designated as “Malaysia-China Friendship Year” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
The decision was agreed upon by officials of both countries at the second Strategic Consultation between Malaysia and China in Beijing yesterday, said a statement from Wisma Putra.
The Malaysian delegation led by the Foreign Ministry’s secretary-general Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahman and China’s Vice-Foreign Minister Fu Ying also agreed that appropriate activities would be organised to celebrate the occasion.
At the Second Strategic Consultation, both sides exchanged views on the progress made in various fields of bilateral cooperation and agreed that Malaysia-China relations in general were moving on the right track from strength to strength, added the statement.
These include the active exchanges of high-level visits, the speedy establishment of the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park and Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, and the speedy approval by China to loan Malaysia a pair of giant pandas.
Apart from that, both sides also exchanged views on current developments in the South China Sea (SEA).
“In this regard, both sides agreed on the importance for all parties concerned to remain committed and adhere to the spirit and letter of Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the SEA, towards creating a conducive environment for Asean and China to begin negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the SEA,” the statement said, adding that continued peace and stability in SEA would benefit China and the Asean region.
Malaysia and China began their annual bilateral consultation in 1991 as a mechanism for both sides to share and exchange views on various bilateral, regional and issues of mutual interest as well as to follow up on matters discussed by the leaders of both countries.
In 2010, both sides agreed to rename the bilateral consultation as strategic consultation to reflect the growing importance of Malaysia-China relations within the political-security framework of the Asia-Pacific region.
The first strategic consultation was held in Putrajaya last year.
– Bernama（吉隆坡28日讯）为配合在2014年马中两国建交40週年纪念，两国已决定將2014年定为“马中友好年”。
外交部今日发表文告说，上述决定是於昨日，在北京举行的第二届马中战略研討会上，所作出的决定。
马中战略研討会决定
大马的代表团是由外交部秘书长丹斯里莫哈末拉兹率领，而中国方面则由中国外交部副部长傅莹率领，两人在研討会上同意两国应举办適当的活动，以庆祝两国建交40週年。
此外，文告指出，在第二届马中战略研討会上，双方针对两国在各个领域的双边合作进展交换了意见，並同意马中两国之间的关係一直是在正確的轨道上，且不断取得良好的进展。
满意双边合作进展
“这些进展包括了双方领袖的频密互访、中马钦州產业园和马中关丹產业园的开发，以及中国迅速答应租借熊猫给大马。＂文告说，双方也在研討会上针对东南亚的局势交换意见，並同意各方应继续致力维持和坚持原有的协议精神及宣言，努力创造一个有利环境，以作为东盟国家和中国展开协商的守则。
文告说，东南亚国家的持续和平及稳定，將能惠及中国及东盟的发展。
大马和中国於1991年开始展开年度双边会谈，作为两国之间针对各领域发展交换意见的机制。首届的双边战略会谈於去年在布城举行。
（星洲日报）
