BEIJING: The six-day official visit by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to China, which started yesterday, will further enhance the Malaysia-China comprehensive strategic partnership, including achieving the bilateral trade target of US$160 billion (RM528 billion) by 2017.

Malaysian ambassador to China Datuk Iskandar Sarudin said yesterday that Muhyiddin was scheduled to meet China’s top 500 captains of industry during a round-table dialogue and dinner here tomorrow.

Muhyiddin is expected to encourage more foreign direct investment (FDI) from China to Malaysia during both meetings.

Malaysia attracted US$920 million (RM3 billion) FDI from China last year compared with US$646 million (RM2.1 billion) in 2012.

Muhyiddin will call on Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli at the Great Hall of the People, the vice-premier’s office, here today.

“This will be the first official meeting between the two leaders,” said Iskandar, adding that Muhyiddin’s visit was at the invitation of Zhang.

Muhyiddin is also scheduled to meet the Malaysian diaspora during a dinner today and is also scheduled tomorrow to visit the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), where he will be accorded an honorary doctorate for his contribution to the education field.

Iskandar said Muhyiddin was expected to take the opportunity to internationalise Bahasa Melayu at BFSU during the visit to the university which offered Malay language.

Also scheduled tomorrow is a visit to the Huawei Research and Development Centre, one of the world’s leading ICT solution providers.

Muhyiddin will leave tomorrow night for Shanghai where he will be visiting an educational institution which focuses on the programme for international student assessment the next day.

On Thursday, Muhyiddin will be in Chongqing where he is scheduled to address the 6th World Chinese Economic Forum before departing for home on Friday. — Bernama

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on December 1, 2014.