PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, Dec. 18 -- China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which is building the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) mega rail project in Malaysia, inked an agreement on Wednesday to establish an operating and maintenance company with Malaysia Rail Link (MRL), the ECRL project owner.

The signing ceremony of the joint venture agreement between MRL and CCCC for the operation and maintenance of the railway was witnessed by Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.

Loke said the agreement will allow both parties to share the ECRL's operating costs while facilitating technical knowledge and expertise, with the ultimate result being the shared development benefits brought by the infrastructure project.

"This joint venture agreement can drive the direction of this national infrastructure in strengthening modern, efficient and environmentally friendly transport services for the well-being of the people and increasing the country's economic competitiveness," he said in a speech at the ceremony.

"The 665-km ECRL network plays an important role in connecting the East Coast states with the Klang Valley, thereby increasing the mobility of the people and empowering the capabilities of local skilled talents in the rail industry," he said.

For his part, Ouyang Yujing said that the ECRL, which has received great attention from both countries, will play an important role in promoting development, driving employment and improving people's livelihoods, and inject new impetus into regional economic development.

He also expressed the hope that both sides would work hard to maintain and operate the railway well, continuously improve its economic and social benefits, and make it a road to wealth and happiness for the public.

The ECRL extends from Malaysia's largest transport hub Port Klang and across the peninsula to the northeastern Kelantan state. It is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the Southeast Asian country by linking its less-developed region on the east coast to the economic heartland on the west coast.