Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia said the trip was important because it would allow him to discuss China’s geo-strategic interests in the region and its investment in Malaysia, specifically the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project in four states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.
China Communications Construction Company Ltd is the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contractor for the project.
“If Anwar can score points on these matters, then it can help to sweep aside the recent Saudi Arabia brouhaha,” Azmil told FMT.
He said there was no need for Anwar to entertain criticism on the Saudi trip any longer and that it would “blow over soon” as the general public had moved on.
Anwar’s visit to Saudi Arabia had been described as a failure by certain quarters as he did not meet King Salman Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The foreign ministry has since confirmed that Anwar’s itinerary included a meeting with the top two leaders but that while the Saudi Arabian government had wanted to extend his trip so that he could meet the Saudi leaders, Anwar had to turn down the offer as he had prior engagements, including attending a breaking of fast event with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania said the publicity – both negative and positive – surrounding the Saudi Arabia trip was irrelevant to the upcoming trip to China.
China was far more important compared to Saudi Arabia from an economic sense, he said.
Chin said Beijing was the country’s number one trading partner and had been for the past decade.
“It is about how much we can work out economic issues with China,” he said.
He said foreign direct investments, technology, increase in trade and Malaysia’s economic prosperity were all tied up with China in one way or another.
“The smoother the relationship, the better the economic relations will be.”
Azizuddin Sani from Universiti Utara Malaysia shared similar sentiments, saying Anwar would want to explore more business opportunities with China since it was the country’s biggest trading partner.
Yesterday, foreign minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said Anwar’s visit to China was expected to open a new chapter in the strategic relationship between Putrajaya and Beijing.
Anwar would be one of the first world leaders to visit Beijing after Xi Jinping’s reappointment as president earlier this month.