China’s Top Legislator Zhao Leji Arrives For Three-Day Official Visit

SEPANG (Selangor, Malaysia), May 18 (Bernama) -- China’s 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji (picture) arrived here Thursday to begin his three-day working visit to Malaysia.

The Air China aircraft carrying Zhao and his delegation touched down at the Bunga Raya Complex of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here at 8.15am.

Among the dignitaries to welcome him were Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing, Malaysian Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) deputy speaker Alice Lau Kiong Yieng and Foreign Ministry Chief of Protocol Mohd Aini Atan.

Zhao then inspected a guard of honour mounted by 26 officers and personnel from the First Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment (1RRD), led by Captain Mohd Hafeez Abdul Halim.

Malaysia is Zhao’s last stop of a three-country tour after Morroco and Senegal.

Zhao began his official visit to Malaysia by paying a courtesy call to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul at Parliament on Thursday

Zhao and his delegation arrived at the Parliament at around 10.30 am before joining Johari and the Malaysian parliamentarians for a bilateral meeting, which lasted almost an hour.

Speaking to reporters later, Johari said among the issues raised during the meeting were bilateral trades and China’s commitment to cooperation on agricultural technology sharing through Malaysian students studying in China universities.

“Food security is very important and we do hope we will not face the same (food supply) issue just like the time when the crises in Eupore affected us in Asia.

“If there were active cooperation with China and ASEAN countries, we will have not just the technology, but also labour and money to strengthen our ties as the people of Asia who do not depend on Europe for food,” he said.

Zhao and his delegation are scheduled to meet with Senate President Dr Rais Yatim later Thursday.

While in Malaysia, Zhao is also scheduled to have an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and meet with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 

He will also travel to Melaka, which includes visits to Jonker Walk, Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum and Melaka Strait before departing to Beijing on Saturday.

-- BERNAMA