MALAYSIA A BRIDGE BETWEEN GREAT CIVILISATIONS - PM NAJIB

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Bernama) -- Najib Tun Razak says his recent visit to
China and witnessing again its ancient history and resurgent economic power
reminded him that one of Malaysia's unique roles is to act as a
bridge between great civilisations.

The prime minister says Malaysia is geographically and ideologically
positioned between East and West.

"Malaysia's diverse ethnic and religious makeup is representative of much of
the world. In his recent speech in Cairo, US President Barack Obama mentioned
what he called the "astonishing progress" in Kuala Lumpur. He said there need be
no contradiction between development and maintaining distinct cultures.

"It is our diversity that is the source of our strength; our diversity that
has facilitated the astonishing progress President Obama spoke of," he says on
the topic "After China" in his blog on www.1Malaysia.com.my.

As such, says Najib, Malaysians should reflect on how to further empower
innovation in Malaysia through their diverse cultures.

"It is precisely our differences that present the greatest opportunities for
the future," he says.

Najib visited China for four days from June 2. He had talks with Premier Wen
Jiabao, called on President Hu Jintao, visited the Beijing Foreign Studies
University, and attended the Malaysia-China Business Forum as well as various
other trade functions.

The prime minister says he returned to Malaysia not just with nostalgia, but
with a sense of real optimism about how the relationship has grown between
Malaysia and China and about the potential for the further deepening of ties.

"On this visit, I did not just want to follow in my father's footsteps. My
intention was to take relations with China to a new level of cooperation and
partnership," he says.

Najib says that before he left on the trip to China, he had mentioned that
the visit had special personal nostalgia for him, coming 35 years after his
father made a similar journey to establish diplomatic relations with China.

"Of course there were moments of personal emotion. Premier Wen Jiabao
presented to me a black-and-white photograph of my late father, Abdul Razak,
signing a communiqué with then Chinese premier Zhou Enlai.

"This gracious gift underlines a bond of friendship between Malaysia and
China that is based on historic ties and trust at all levels. My father trusted
China's leadership then, just as I do now," he says.

Najib says China is already Malaysia's fourth largest trading partner, and
that much time was spent during the trip discussing how Malaysia and China can
continue to expand the trade and economic links that define so much of the
history and interaction between the two countries.

"As both of our countries have embarked on significant stimulus programmes,
we also discussed further cooperation on efforts to pull our countries, and the
region, out of the economic downturn," he says.

-- BERNAMA