China says Malaysia PM to visit next week

BEIJING: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will visit China next week, Beijing said Friday.

The visit will take place from Monday to Thursday, Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing.

Anwar was elected in 2022 and has visited China twice since then, describing the country as “a great friend” as he sought to deepen ties with Malaysia’s top trading partner.

But the two also hold competing claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.

Anwar in September insisted that Malaysia will press on with oil and gas exploration in the disputed South China Sea, after a leaked document showed opposition from Beijing.

In the diplomatic note -- published by a Philippine news website -- China demanded that Malaysia stop all oil and gas activities off Sarawak state on Borneo island.

Beijing in the note accused Malaysia of encroaching on Chinese territory.

That same month, Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar visited Beijing to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.