Modi: Had wide-ranging talks with Chinese Premier Li

Premier Li Keqiang has announced on Monday, November 23, the granting of 50 billion yuan ($7.8 billion) quota to Malaysia under the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) program, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

“We hope that Malaysia and Australia will continue the work of search and rescue and maintain productive communication with China”, Li said.

Terming Chinese Premier Li Keqiang as his “friend”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he had “wide ranging talks” on bilateral issues with him during their meeting at Kuala Lumpur. “China is content to open the door for Malaysia”.

China and Malaysia have compatible development strategies, Li noted.

The Australian, Malaysian and Chinese Governments have previously agreed not to extend the search without new evidence or information about MH370’s whereabouts.

He pledged several moves to strengthen financial cooperation with Malaysia while addressing a bilateral high-level economic forum in Kuala Lumpur.

The premier also urged both China and Malaysia to stabilize the financial market and boost investment and trade cooperation in order to address global financial instability and other economic woes.

Malaysia “would like to express our deepest appreciation” to China for their contribution to funding the on-going search for MH370, Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement. Malacca has not only played a critical role in the China-Malaysia friendship since ancient times, but also stands at a key point along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

“The Chinese side taking this action is in line with greatest respect for human beings”, Li said.

China, the world’s second largest economy after the United States, is also Malaysia’s top trading partner.