He said bilateral relations are enjoying an invaluable opportunity of expansion as both countries are witnessing healthy economic growth at present.

Li made the remarks during talks with Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi shortly after arriving in Kuala Lumpur for an official visit to Malaysia on Saturday afternoon.

He said China will continue to expand exchanges with Malaysia in the fields of politics, economy, trade, agriculture, science, education, culture and public health so as to deepen the all-round goodneighborly friendship of cooperation.

Li said Malaysia has played an important role in expanding the relationship between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Noting that the good neighborly partnership of mutual trust between China and the ASEAN is growing into greater extension, he said China will as always continue to push forward exchanges and cooperation with the ASEAN in an all-round way.

Li said both China and Malaysia are working on expansion of regional cooperation, which is both in conformity with the trend of the times and in the interests of all countries in the region.

Badawi said Malaysia puts its relationship with China on top of the priorities of its foreign policy. He said over the past few years, the two countries have been deepening political contacts and mutual trust. He expressed the wish that Malaysia will continue to increase investment in China and draw more investment from China.

The two sides also exchanged views and reached broad consensus on international issues and hot issues in the region.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2003)