PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 — Pledging support for the Japanese-led Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) initiative, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia has agreed to co-chair the regional conference’s ministerial meeting in July.

"It is essentially the issue of reconstruction of Gaza and Palestine. This is very meaningful to us in Malaysia and I’m sure many countries, including Muslims throughout the world,” he said in a joint press conference with visiting Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Putrajaya on Friday.

Ishiba is currently on a two-day official visit to Malaysia, marking his first trip to the country since assuming office in October last year.

CEAPAD is a regional conference framework initiated by Japan in 2013 to support the Palestinian state-building efforts by drawing on the resources, knowledge, and experiences of economic development of the East Asian countries.

Anwar said Malaysia would also discuss with its Asean peers regarding the possibility of hosting the aforementioned meeting in Kuala Lumpur during the Asean Summit.

On another note, Anwar said Malaysia and Japan had also discussed the need of maintaining peace in the South China Sea amid the tensions over territorial disputes.

He also highlighted the importance of Indo-Pacific collaboration and the pursuit of amicable resolutions to the crisis in Myanmar, in line with the Asean Five-Point Consensus.

During the press conference, Ishiba acknowledged Malaysia’s strategic role in the region, highlighting its position as a critical connector between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

"Malaysia, located at the junction of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, connects sea lanes in the region. Malaysia is a comprehensive strategic partner that shares fundamental values and principles with Japan,” Ishiba said.

He also expressed Japan’s commitment to collaborating closely with Malaysia, the current Asean chair, through initiatives such as the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the realisation of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"In these increasingly complex and uncertain times, strengthening cooperation with Asean and the South-east Asian region is one of the highest priorities for Japanese diplomacy.

Through these collaborative efforts, we aim to lead the world towards greater cooperation,” he said. — Bernama