He said China remained a key trading partner for the country, and that with Malaysia currently chairing Asean, there would be much to discuss during their engagements.
Fahmi said Xi’s visit, scheduled from April 15 to 17, marked a significant moment for Malaysia, as it would focus not only on economic cooperation but also on strengthening ties between the people of both countries, beyond official and business-level engagement.
“We believe that not only will trade relations be better, people-to-people relations will be enhanced.
“This is a great honour for Malaysia and I believe we have a lot of opportunities that we can discuss, strengthen, and build on from past achievements and also future opportunities,” he told reporters at the Asean-China Media and Think Tank Forum.
On the broader impact of Xi’s visit, Fahmi said Malaysia hoped to convey a clear message of cooperation and partnership.
On the challenges posed by globalisation, Fahmi said current global trends had raised new concerns.
“We have to accept that globalisation is being challenged and re-evaluated today, especially in light of recent decisions and announcements from the White House,” he said.
“Many trading relations between countries have long histories. We know that there are plenty of opportunities when we work together. We believe in working closely and better together,” he said.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the strong and hardened stance of the US towards China could have significant ramifications for Malaysia’s economy and its position within Asean centrality.
China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with total bilateral trade reaching US$190.24 billion (RM856.08 billion). Major Malaysian exports to China include integrated circuits, palm oil, computers, and plastic products.
While placing a 90-day pause on the tariffs, Trump had raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%, marking a dramatic increase from the previous rate of 104%. This was in response to China imposing a retaliatory tariff of 84% on all US goods entering its market.