Malaysian PM’s Special Envoy Targets Closer Bilateral Cooperation

Relations between Malaysia and China date back hundreds of years， and plenty of room remains for bilateral cooperation under the new Malaysian government， said Tan Kok Wai， who was appointed Malaysian Prime Ministers special envoy to China and head of the Malaysia-China Business Council in August.

A seasoned Member of Parliament， Tan is the National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party， one of four component parties of the Pakatan Harapan coalition that came to power following the May general election.

He was appointed to promote bilateral trade， investment and all other economic activities between the two countries， said Tan. He was also entrusted with the mission of fostering people-to-people ties.

Tan explained that his role was different than an ambassador but would complement Malaysias diplomatic work with China.

The new government under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is committed to fostering a balanced and healthy bilateral relationship with China， he said.

One of Tans focuses is a 5-year program on Malaysia-China trade and economic cooperation for the period of 2018-2022， which was announced during Mahathirs recent official visit to China.

“Both sides will actively discuss formulation of the plan， and I will ensure that every effort from our side will be made to ensure it is successful，” he added.