Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Penang on Friday, with both sides pledging to deepen bilateral cooperation and strive for more win-win results.

Malaysia is the second leg of Wang's three-nation Asian tour, which began in Singapore and also takes him to Cambodia.

Wang, who is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told the Malaysian prime minister that China is willing to work with Malaysia to maintain the momentum of healthy and strong development of the bilateral relationship, bring more benefits to the people of the two countries, and make a new contribution to the development and revitalization of the region.

China and Malaysia are both emerging economies and developing countries with similar development concepts and a wide range of common interests, the foreign minister pointed out.

Wang said the two sides have achieved fruitful results in the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, adding the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and "Two Countries, Twin Parks" projects have produced good economic and social effects.

The senior Chinese diplomat said he believes that the prospects for bilateral pragmatic cooperation are broad.

"We are willing to share with the Malaysian side the mega-market opportunities to expand the field of cooperation, to achieve mutual benefit and common development," said Wang.

Recalling his successful visit to China in March this year, Anwar said China is a good and reliable friend of Malaysia and the two countries enjoy a special friendship involving strong cooperation.

He noted the two sides have implemented the consensus of the two leaders, and have made important progress in cooperation on economic issues as well as trade and investment, humanities and tourism.

The prime minister also welcomed Chinese enterprises to expand their investments in Malaysia, adding his country is willing to deepen cooperation with China in various fields to achieve more mutual benefits and win-win results.

Mutual strong support

Wang also held talks with Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir on Friday. He called on the two sides to support each other in safeguarding respective core interests and legitimate rights and jointly defend the basic norms of international relations.

Stressing Malaysia is a friendly neighbor of China and the priority direction of neighboring diplomacy, Wang said China is willing to work with Malaysia to take the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries as a guide, summarize the successful experience, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote the building of the China-Malaysia community with a shared future to develop in a thorough and pragmatic way.

China supports Malaysia in taking the path of development in line with its own national conditions, and supports Malaysia in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs, Wang said.

He urged the two sides to strengthen communication and coordination and enhance strategic mutual trust.

China supports and encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest in Malaysia in order to create more growth points for cooperation, Wang told his Malaysian counterpart.

Zambry said Malaysia is looking forward to strengthening ties with China at all levels in various fields, and highly appreciates and supports a series of important global initiatives put forward by China.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on regional and international issues of common concern and reached a broad consensus.

They agreed to strengthen communication and coordination, uphold ASEAN's centrality and promote regional peace, stability and development.