China, Malaysia to jointly promote economic globalization, reject unilateral trade restrictive measures

KUALA LUMPUR -- China and Malaysia have vowed to jointly promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, advance trade and investment facilitation and reject the unilateral trade restrictive measures including arbitrary tariff hikes that are inconsistent with the WTO rules.

The two countries made the announcement on Thursday in a joint statement released in the context of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Malaysia.

Both sides are committed to upholding the rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, said the statement.

The two countries will strengthen cooperation, advocate for WTO rules to evolve with the times, and defend the legitimate rights and interests of developing members, it said.

Both sides agreed that no country can stay immune in the face of the turbulent and changing international landscape and the historical trend toward a shared future for the international community, it said, adding that win-win cooperation is the only right way forward.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter to practice true multilateralism, upholding the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the statement said.

Both sides will work together to meet all kinds of challenges and contribute Asian strength to building an equal and orderly multipolar world, it noted.

The two countries will enhance coordination and cooperation under such frameworks as the UN, the WTO and the World Health Organization, jointly uphold international fairness and justice and safeguard the common interests of developing countries, the statement said.

China welcomes Malaysia as a BRICS partner country and is willing to actively support Malaysia in better integrating into BRICS cooperation, it said.

Also, Malaysia welcomes China's application to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, it added.