In Rome, Anwar reaffirms Malaysia's free trade stance, pushes strategic partnerships with Italy
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that in an increasingly challenging global landscape, international stability and peace are an important foundation for economic prosperity as well as cross-border synergy opportunities that the business community must fully exploit.
He said the commitment was conveyed when he and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani chaired the Malaysia-Italy Economic Partnership Roundtable session here yesterday.
The session brought together more than 100 companies from both countries, covering the manufacturing, services and trade sectors, as well as industry agencies and organisations.
'This session reflects a shared commitment to strengthen trade relations and open up wider strategic investment space between Malaysia and Italy,' said Anwar.
According to the prime minister, this session also strengthened the confidence of Italian industry players in Malaysia's openness policy, efficient governance and economic competitiveness.
He said the active participation of leading companies highlights the potential for higher-impact bilateral cooperation, centred on added value, innovation and mutual interests.
It opens up broad prospects in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, carbon capture and storage technology, defence, digital economy, aerospace and high-tech industries, key areas that are pillars of the country's economic reform agenda, he added. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Interview: Former Italian senator sees robust potential for stronger Italy-China ties
ROME, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Former Italian Senator Manuel Vescovi emphasized the potential for enhanced Italy-China cooperation in economic and cultural fields, describing such collaboration as "a gateway to tremendous opportunities." In a recent interview with Xinhua, Vescovi, who served on Italy's Senate Foreign Affairs Committee from 2018 to 2022, urged Italian enterprises to engage with China's dynamic market proactively. "China's market is enormous and still expanding," he said, noting that China has remained Italy's largest Asian trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching 72.54 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Highlighting particular areas of opportunity such as renewable energy, automotive manufacturing, and agri-food exports, Vescovi said Italy's renowned expertise aligns well with China's market demands. Marking the 55th anniversary of China-Italy diplomatic relations in 2025, he underscored the historic cultural exchanges spanning over two millennia. "We should leverage these historical bonds to propel our partnership to new heights," he said. Recent high-level visits, including those by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to China, have led to a new three-year cooperation agreement through 2027, focusing on green technology, advanced manufacturing, and cultural exchanges. Vescovi firmly believes in the value of grassroots diplomacy. "It's important to start from the local level rather than relying solely on high-level summits," he said. As an example, he recently led a delegation from Grosseto, Tuscany, to Nanping in China's Fujian Province, initiating a sister-city partnership. During the visit, the two cities signed an agreement and hosted forums on trade, tourism, and education exchanges. By June 2025, Italy and China had established 90 sister-city pairings, which Vescovi sees as essential platforms for tangible and consistent cooperation. During his visit, Vescovi was particularly impressed by China's technological achievements, citing an advanced automobile factory capable of producing a car every 76 seconds as "an incredible engineering achievement." He also toured factories producing eco-friendly bamboo products, highlighting a Fujian-based company keen on opening a branch in Italy, a direct outcome of the sister-city relationship. "Local partnerships foster concrete results through business matchmaking," he noted, emphasizing the need for sustained and consistent engagement. Looking forward, Vescovi is optimistic about the future of Italy-China relations. He envisions scenarios where Italian cities like Grosseto become popular destinations for Chinese tourists, and Chinese tech startups collaborate with Italian artisans. "China has so much to offer, and so do we," he remarked, emphasizing mutual learning opportunities. Specifically, he suggested that Italy could benefit from China's successful territorial marketing and sustainable practices, while China could leverage Italy's expertise in design, high-end manufacturing, and agri-food. Stressing the importance of ongoing cultural exchanges alongside economic collaboration, Vescovi called for regular delegations, student exchanges, and joint cultural initiatives. "Only by being culturally and economically open can we genuinely thrive together," he said, reflecting the enduring legacy of Marco Polo's historic journey, which continues to inspire the strengthening of contemporary Italy-China ties.
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
PM arrives in Paris for two-day official visit
PARIS: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has arrived in Paris to begin his maiden official visit to France. The aircraft carrying Anwar and his delegation landed at Pavillon d'Honneur Orly Airport at 4.10pm local time from Rome. He was received on arrival by Malaysia's Ambassador to France, Datuk Eldeen Husaini, and senior French government officials. Eldeen earlier told the media that the visit carries official status and reflects France's strong commitment to diplomatic ties with Malaysia since Anwar assumed office as Prime Minister in 2022. This evening, Anwar is scheduled to engage with some 250 members of the Malaysian diaspora in the country. On Friday, he will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace. Key agenda items include trade, investment, renewable energy, semiconductors, defence, education, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence (AI). Both leaders are also expected to discuss the Middle East crisis, particularly the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Prime Minister will join Muslim community leaders for Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque of Paris, one of the oldest mosques in France. He will also deliver a keynote lecture titled 'Southeast Asia and Europe: Recalibrating the Terms of Engagement' at Sorbonne University, a world-renowned institution known for its contributions to intellectual and cultural life. Anwar is accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; Transport Minister Anthony Loke; Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu; Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin; and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz. As part of efforts to attract global investment, particularly from France, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with leading French industry players. Among the participating companies are Imerys, Arkema, Airbus, and Thales. France remains one of Malaysia's top five trading partners within the European Union. In 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries totalled RM15.95 billion, with RM6.26 billion recorded between January and May this year. Following his visit to France, Anwar will depart for Brazil to attend the BRICS Leaders' Summit from July 5 to 7.
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Ringgit ends higher on regional trade optimism
KUALA LUMPUR : The ringgit closed higher against the US dollar today, supported by improved regional sentiment following a new US-Vietnam trade deal, said SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes. Innes said the agreement to impose a reduced 20% tariff on Vietnamese exports, down from a previously threatened 46%, has lifted risk appetite and supported regional currencies. 'The markets see this as a positive sign for global trade recovery, which helped boost the ringgit,' he told Bernama. Innes also said the weaker-than-expected US ADP jobs data, with only 33,000 jobs added in June, reinforced expectations of two US rate cuts this year, pressuring the greenback. He noted, however, that market focus might shift to tonight's non-farm payrolls report, with consensus at 106,000. At 6pm, the local note rose to 4.2195/4.2255 versus the greenback from yesterday's close of 4.2245/4.2305. The local currency traded mostly lower against a basket of major currencies. It shrank against the euro to 4.9756/4.9827 from 4.9748/4.9818, and depreciated against the Japanese yen to 2.9333/2.9376 from 2.9316/2.9360. However, it appreciated versus the British pound to 5.7621/5.7703 from 5.7859/5.7941 yesterday. The local note traded mixed against its Asean counterparts. It improved vis-à-vis the Singapore dollar to 3.3146/3.3196 from 3.3167/3.3217, and rose against the Thai baht to 13.0211/13.0457 from 13.0233/13.0482. It slipped against the Indonesian rupiah to 260.5/261.0 from 259.9/260.5, and weakened against the Philippine peso to 7.50/7.51 from 7.49/7.51 previously.
