Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday that regional countries should be vigilant against acts that undermine peace, stability and prosperity in the region and voice their joint opposition to such behaviors.

Wang made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah following a meeting between the two sides in Anji, east China's Zhejiang Province.

In response to a question, Wang said there are two distinctly different trends in the current regional situation: One is the practice of relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which features improving mutual trust, coordinating and cooperating to seek shared prosperity; and the other is to incite ideological confrontation, create divisions, promote "walling" or "decoupling," and even try to start a new Cold War.

He stressed, the former, which represents the trend of the times and serves the common interests of different countries, is undoubtedly on the right side of history while the latter is clearly moving against the tide of history and standing on the wrong side of history.

At this new crossroads, China advocates that all countries should choose unity over division, inclusiveness over exclusiveness, a win-win result over a win-takes-all approach, cooperation over confrontation, and stability over conflict, Wang said.

He added that all countries should also respect others' sovereignty and territorial integrity and do not interfere in others' internal affairs or challenge the basic norms governing international relations.

In co-chairing the first China-Malaysia High Level Committee Meeting with Saifuddin, Wang said both sides should give the full play to the mechanism to deepen strategic trust, coordinate cooperation in various fields to implement the outcomes of a special China-ASEAN summit and advance the China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level in the post-pandemic era.

Saifuddin said Malaysia prioritizes the development of relations with China and is ready to take the meeting as an opportunity to boost pragmatic cooperation and inject new impetus into the bilateral ties.

(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) and Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah pose for a photo in Anji, east China's Zhejiang Province, December 4, 2021. /China's Foreign Ministry)