M'SIA AND CHINA ABOLISH VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL PASSPORTS

BY YONG SOO HEONG


BEIJING, June 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and China Wednesday agreed to
partially abolish the need to have visas for their holders of diplomatic and
official or service passports for travel to each other's countries.

This partial abolition of the visa agreement was part of four Memoranda of
Understanding signed between Malaysia and China at a ceremony at the Great
Hall of the People here that were witnessed by Prime Minister Najib
Tun Razak and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Malaysia also signed an MoU on a Joint Action Plan on Strategic Cooperation
with the Chinese government.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman signed the MoUs on behalf of the
government together with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, on the first two
MoUs.

Anifah also signed an MoU on cooperation in marine science and technology
with a Chinese administration official.


Also present at the ceremony were Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor,
International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed, Transport
Minister Ong Tee Keat, Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin, Minister in the
Primne Minister's Department, Bernard Dompok, Minister in the Prime Minister's
Department, Senator Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph
Pairin Kitingan.

The Joint Action Plan on Strategic Cooperation comprehensively covers 12
areas in political, economic, trade and finance, culture and education, science
and technology, health, defence and security, agriculture, sanitary and
phytosanitary, tourism, human resources, energy, forestry, and regional and
international cooperation.

The agreement on cooperation in marine science and technology covers areas
in marine policy exchange and cooperation, integrated coastal zone management,
eco-environmental protection, marine scientific research, ocean disaster
reduction, satellite and remote sensing, joint marine equipment development,
marine information and data exchange, ocean energy exploration and research, sea
bed resources exploration and exploitation technology, polar science, marine
surveillance and others.

The fourth MoU signed was between Pos Malaysia (post services company in
Malaysia) and China Post and it pertained to express mail and parcel services,
bulk mail, cross border e-commerce, international finance, and logistics.

Pos Malaysia was represented by its chairman, Aseh Che Mat, while Li
Wa Ding, general manager of China Post, signed on behalf of the Chinese side.

-- BERNAMA