Strong bilateral relations stressed in Anwar speech

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed his nation's strong relations with China, as the two sides celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

In a keynote speech delivered on Thursday at a regional forum in Kuala Lumpur, Anwar said China is Malaysia's largest trading partner and key investor, and praised the "progress that China has made in the past decade, especially the vast improvement in the quality of life for hundreds of millions of its people".

"(China's development) is nothing short of spectacular," Anwar told participants at the 37th Asia-Pacific Roundtable. The high-level symposium was held from Tuesday to Thursday and was organized by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies, or ISIS, Malaysia.