Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on Saturday called for other major countries to play a constructive role for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The two foreign ministers made the appeal over the phone during Wang's stopover in the Southeast Asian country after wrapping up a 10-day visit to the South Pacific Island countries.

Wang briefed Saifuddin about the visit and said China and the Pacific Island countries will continue to build the Belt and Road together, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and develop and revitalize themselves together.

Saifuddin congratulated Wang on the success of the visit, and said China is a country with important responsibilities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Regional countries expect China to play a leading role in strengthening South-South cooperation and making the Pacific more harmonious, said the Malaysian foreign minister.

During the phone call, the Chinese and Malaysian sides also expressed deep concern over the current evolution of the situation in Europe, especially the spillover of the crisis in Ukraine.

Both sides agreed that the countries in the region should strengthen strategic communication, enhance solidarity and cooperation, and work together to maintain the hard-won peaceful development.

The mature regional cooperation structure with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as the center should be maintained, they said, adding that efforts should be made to avoid bringing the Cold War mentality into the region or creating new confrontation.

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