KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — China appreciates Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s stance on ’China-phobia’ among the US and its allies, said Minister at the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia, Zheng Xuefang.

He said Anwar’s remarks reflected the wish of developing countries in pursuing independence and development.

“We note with appreciation the remarks by Prime Minister Anwar recently, which decried the ‘China-phobia’ among US and western allies and upheld Malaysia-China friendship.

“The development of China is an opportunity for the world rather than a threat to anyone,” he said in a meeting with Bernama’s chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai during a courtesy visit to the national news agency, here, Wednesday.

Zheng said Malaysia is a friendly neighbour to China and one of the priority is China’s neighbourhood diplomacy, adding that it will continue to work with Malaysia to elevate the bilateral relations to a new level.

Anwar in an interview with Financial Times last month and again during his official visit to Australia this week stressed that Malaysia will not be dictated to by any other country over its relations with China, “we are fiercely independent’’, he added.

The prime minister also decried the growing ‘China-phobia’ sentiment among the western nations.

On a separate development, Zheng said China will work closely to support Malaysia in playing a greater role in Asean and international affairs, and push Asean-China relations as well as the East Asia cooperation to new heights.

Malaysia will assume the Asean chairmanship next year while it will take over as Asean-China coordinator this July.

The diplomat said China also supports the idea of the Asian Monetary Fund as well as the initiative of Asean-China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) trilateral summit proposed by Anwar.

“We hope that Malaysia could work with all parties within Asean actively and work for the early implementation of relevant initiatives,” he said.

This year marks the 50th year anniversary of Malaysia-China bilateral diplomatic relations and Malaysia-China Friendship Year.

Malaysia and China forged formal diplomatic relations on May 31, 1974. — Bernama