On 5 August, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
Wang noted that China and Malaysia are among the first countries that have walked out of the dark cloud of COVID-19 and started to resume economic and social activities. Such progress was achieved thanks to the mutual help and support between our two countries, and has created necessary conditions and opened up new possibilities for future cooperation. Both China's investment in Malaysia and Malaysia's export to China increased in the first half of the year despite COVID-19. This demonstrates the strong complementarity and resilience of China-Malaysia cooperation. The two sides could explore proper ways to resume exchanges at all levels, establish bilateral and regional "fast lanes" and work together to set up "green corridors". These efforts will facilitate both countries' economic reopening and help keep industrial and supply chains stable.
Wang stressed that with the world being a global village, solidarity and cooperation are essential for mankind and serve as a strong shield in protecting global public health. Stigmatization and politicization of the virus must be rejected by all countries. Wang expressed China's readiness to continue collaboration with Malaysia in vaccine R&D, deployment and production, and enhance anti-epidemic cooperation within East Asia cooperation, APEC, WHO and other multilateral frameworks, and build a global community of health for all.
Wang expressed China's firm support for Malaysia in hosting the APEC meetings this year. China will support efforts to follow the APEC purposes and principles, build an open Asia-Pacific economy and develop a post-2020 vision guided by the commitment to an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future and the spirit of partnership.
Hishammuddin stressed that Malaysia places high importance on its robust relations with China and that cooperation between the two countries is beyond geopolitics. He said that Malaysia fully agrees on strengthening vaccine cooperation, establishing the fast lane and green corridor as soon as possible and exploring how to ensure supply chain security. Such efforts, the minister said, will send out a strong message of solidarity and cooperation.
The two ministers also had an in-depth exchange of views on how to cope with the instability and uncertainty in the current international situation.