<p>Wednesday June 3, 2009 MYT 9:56:07 PM KL-Beijing friendship based on trust, says Najib</p><p>By CELESTE FONG</p><p>The continuation of the “Beginning of Sino-Malaysia Friendship” to yet another level after 35 years on as pledged by the Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak ! </p><p>BEIJING: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s arrival in Beijing for a four-day official visit marked a milestone in the 35-year-old friendship between Malaysia and China. In following in his father’s footsteps, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the strong ties and trust between the two nations under a new generation of leaders.</p><p>Trust has been the key to the success of the strong ties between Malaysia and China, said Najib.</p><p>”This bond of friendship between Malaysia and China is based on the word trust. If my late father (Tun Abdul Razak Hussein) trusted the Chinese leaders (then), I have the same respect with regard to the current leaders (of China),” he said in his acceptance address after receiving an honorary doctorate in international relations from the Beijing Foreign Studies University here on Wednesday.</p><p>Najib said although he was unable to accompany his father, Malaysia’s second prime minister, on the historic visit to China in 1974, he remembers vividly what his father said of that trip:</p><p>“I can work with (Prime Minister) Zhou Enlai and I have the greatest respect for him.”</p><p>Najib said what his father meant was that the relations between the two countries must be based on trust. ”If we have the trust, everything can be possible,” he said.</p><p>Pledging to take Kuala Lumpur-Beijing relations to greater heights, Najib said the present and future generations of Malaysians and the Chinese were now reaping the fruits of the labour and vision of past leaders like Razak and Zhou.</p><p>Dwelling at length on the fateful meeting 35 years ago here, Najib said it was like the Chinese saying that the journey of a thousand miles must start with the first step.</p><p>Najib believed his late father did not think of first and second steps but the thousands of miles for the future generations. “It took courage to make that decision and it was the right decision,’’ he said, describing his late father’s move then as bold and momentous and ahead of his time.</p><p>Quoting another Chinese idiom “yin shui si yuan” (When drinking water, don’t forget the people who dug the well), Najib said he was modifying the saying to – it is the responsibility of Malaysian and Chinese leaders to dig more wells so that no well will run dry and water would flow for the well-being of both Malaysia and China.”</p><p>Najib emphasised: “Let us work together and continue this journey that began 35 years ago.”</p><p>On fears expressed by certain quarters of China’s tremendous growth into becoming a global economic powerhouse, Najib said such fears were unfounded because the Chinese civilisation has always been based on friendship. “We began as friends and the friendship between the Malay world and the Chinese world is not new. It began during the era of the Ming Dynasty when fleet commander Zheng He visited Malacca with 35,000 troops and 300 vessels.”</p><p>He said if an armada of that size had desired to capture Malacca then, it would have been achieved easily.</p><p>”However, China had no such intention. Instead, it extended a hand of friendship. Malaysia does not consider China a threat because Malaysia had many times to evaluate China over the past 600 years,” he said.</p><p>Najib also noted his official visit to the China as Malaysia’s prime minister was also “very personal” to him as the visit also coincides with the period of his late father’s historic visit to China 35 years ago and that the conferment of the honorary doctorate on him was a symbol of the closeness of the friendship between Malaysia and China.</p><p>Najib said the relations between Malaysia and China were deep-rooted and personal for him and that was the reason he brought along his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, their two children (son Nor Ashman and daughter Nooryana), his mother Tun Rahah Mohamed Noah and his brother Nazir for the official visit.</p><p>Najib also acknowledged the 60 students from China at the university who are studying Malay and the 36 students from Malaysia there who are studying Mandarin.</p><p>Najib said he would also ask his youngest child Nooryanna, who is studying Mandarin at Georgetown University in Washington DC, to attend this Beijing university for a month or two.</p><p>He said he felt that “if we study languages, we will understand the civilisations of both nations and when we understand both civilisations, the relations will be more cordial and tangible”.</p><p>Earlier, Professor Hao Ping, China’s vice-education minister who is the university’s president, acknowledged the Prime Minister’s contributions to the institution from the time he was the Education Minister and said that it was Najib’s fourth visit to the university.</p><p>Also present at the ceremony were Gu Xiu Lian, deputy chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People’s Congress and president of the China-Asean Association, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon as well as Malaysian business leaders and entrepreneurs. http://gallery.thestar.com.my/default.asp?id=1221</p><p>June 03, 2009 21:22 PM PM Accorded Grand And Warm Welcome In Beijing</p><p>BEIJING, June 3 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Razak was accorded a warm and grand welcome by his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiaobao at a special welcoming ceremony on the grounds of the Great Hall of the People adjacent to the famed Tiananmen Square, here Wednesday.</p><p>The Malaysian prime minister was also given the honour of a 19-gun salute in a colourful ceremony where the flags of both countries fluttered proudly in the summer breeze as thousands of tourists to the area watched from afar.</p><p>The "Jalur Gemilang" and the Chinese flags were also strung at strategic places along the main avenue leading to the Great Hall of the People.</p><p>The prime minister, who was accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, was driven in a motorcade to the welcoming ceremony. They were greeted by Wen as they alighted from the limousine at about 5.15 pm.</p><p>Wen then introduced Najib to some Chinese government officials before the Malaysian prime minister introduced the Chinese leader to several Cabinet ministers and their wives who were present at the welcoming ceremony.</p><p>Najib and Wen then took their positions on a specially erected dais before the national anthems of both countries, "Negara Ku" and "March of the Volunteers", were played by a military band.</p><p>Wen then accompanied Najib for a guard of honour mounted by the joint services of the Chinese armed forces -- the army, navy and air force.</p><p>The ceremony ended with a march past by the armed forces personnel. China's Premier Wen Jiabao (L) and Najib Razak inspect an honour guard during an official welcoming ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.</p><p>June 03, 2009 22:47 PM</p><p>Najib Accorded Special Treatment At Great Hall Of The People</p><p>From Yong Soo Heong</p><p>BEIJING, June 3 (Bernama) - China Wednesday broke from tradition as it accorded special treatment to visiting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak by allowing speeches to be made after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People here.</p><p>In a departure from the norm, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao took to the public address system after he had presented Najib with a copy of a black and white photograph of Malaysia's second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein signing a joint communique with the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai on establishing diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China in 1974.</p><p>Normally no speeches are made after the signing of MoUs between two countries but China decided to show its appreciation for Najib and his father, Tun Abdul Razak, for establishing diplomatic relations with China and subsequently strengthening them, said Malaysian officials accompanying the prime minister's entourage.</p><p>The Malaysian side had earlier enquired whether remarks could be made after the signing ceremony.</p><p>Najib then took the opportunity to show the picture to his mother, Tun Rahah Mohamed Noah, wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and his daughter, Nooryana Najwa, and son, Nor Ashman, who were all present at the ceremony.</p><p>The historic picture was taken in the same location as today's ceremony which was at the West Hall of the Great Hall of the People some 35 years ago.</p><p>Wen said relations between the two countries had expanded and deepened since then and also alluded to a Chinese proverb that said if one drank water from a well, he or she should not forget who had dug the well and that the Chinese government did not forget the role played by past leaders like Tun Razak and Zhou.</p><p>Wen explained that special arrangements were made for the speeches as the hall was of special significance to both China and Malaysia.</p><p>He said the picture was a gift from the Chinese government to the family of Tun Razak as the Chinese government did not forget the courageous role played by Tun Razak in making Malaysia the first Asean country to establish diplomatic ties with China.</p><p>He paid tribute to both "father and son" in Tun Razak and Najib whom he described as sharing the same sentiments towards China in terms of strengthening relations between the two countries.</p><p>Wen said today's bilateral talks and signing of four MoUs between the two countries marked a new chapter in bilateral relations and likened the strengthened and deepened relations of the two countries to that of the deep roots of a tree which would subsequently help in bringing leafy foliage and bountiful harvests of fruits.</p><p>In response, Najib said he would "dig more wells" to ensure that "the flow of water would be forever bountiful that we can both share for the mutual benefit of both countries."</p><p>He thanked Wen for the memorable and special welcome and hospitality accorded to him.</p><p>Najib said that in view of China's special ties with Malaysia, it was for this reason that he chose to visit China as the first country outside Asean since becoming prime minister two months ago.</p><p>He said he would not only be following footsteps of his father but intended to take Malaysia-China relations to greater heights, especially with the fact that "China had advanced so far ahead."</p><p>He hoped that Malaysia and China would be partners in charting a new course to bring about deeper bilateral relations.</p><p>Najib said the first generation had done its part by establishing diplomatic relations 35 years ago and it was now incumbent upon the subsequent generations to carry on the work further. http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/vclip_shows.php?id=1067</p><p>Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak in a meeting with the Vice Chairwomen of the Standing Committee for the Tenth National People's Congress and the</p><p>President of China-ASEAN Association, Gu Xia Lian (left).</p><p>June 03, 2009 23:50 PM</p><p>M'sia And China Abolish Visa Requirements For Diplomatic And Official Passports</p><p>By Yong Soo Heong</p><p>BEIJING, June 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and China today 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.</p><p>This partial abolition of the visa agreement was part of four Memoranda of Understanding signed between Malaysia and China Wednesday at a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People here that were witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.</p><p>Malaysia also signed an MoU on a Joint Action Plan on Strategic Cooperation with the Chinese government.</p><p>Foreign Minister Datuk 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.</p><p>Also present at the ceremony were Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, Minister in the Primne Minister's Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>The fourth MoU signed was between Pos Malaysia and China Post and it pertained to express mail and parcel services, bulk mail, cross border e-commerce, international finance, and logistics.</p><p>Pos Malaysia was represented by its chairman, Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat, while Li Wa Ding, general manager of China Post, signed on behalf of the Chinese side.</p>