KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke is leading a delegation to visit Hong Kong and China from June 6 to 9 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.

He will attend the Official 50th Anniversary Reception organised by the Consulate General of Malaysia in Hong Kong on the evening of June 6, according to a statement by the Transport Ministry.

The Chief Executive of Hong Kong John Lee Ka-Chiu will be present as the Guest-of-Honour.

On the following day, the minister is scheduled to call on the leadership of Hunan Province, China before attending the unveiling ceremony of the new Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Electric Trains (ETS3) at the manufacturing plant of the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Zhuzhou Locomotive Co Ltd (CRRC) in Zhuzhou, Hunan.

"Beginning early 2025, 10 sets of new six-coach trains will be rolled out gradually to boost KTMB’s electric train service capacity from Johor Bahru to Padang Besar,” said the ministry in the statement.

It noted that from June 8 to 9 the minister and delegation will pay a visit to Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone in the capital region of Henan Province, Central China to form new partnerships for the future of high-value aviation cargo business in both Malaysia and China.

According to the ministry, during the visit, Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Air Silk Road Malaysia-China Feight Hub project with state-owned Zhongyu Aviation (Henan) Co Ltd.

"Guided by the principles of mutually beneficial partnership, Malaysia is committed to further strengthen and deepen our special relationship with China across all transportation sectors,” it said.

It also noted that the working visit also aims at boosting investments to enhance connectivity and advance the building of a closer Asean and China. — Bernama