Premier Li Keqiang has held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. The two sides have signed a series of agreements and want to forge closer ties.

Marking 40 years of diplomatic ties, 2014 is the year designated by both governments as “Malaysia-China Year of Friendly Exchanges.” Describing Najib’s trip as “a very important visit in bilateral relations,” Premier Li emphasized China’s commitment to developing ties with Malaysia.

Li said that Malaysia is an important partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the two sides have signed five trade and political cooperation agreements.

Najib’s visit comes at a sensitive time, with the search for missing flight MH370 still unresolved.

During their talks, Najib said that Malaysia is deeply indebted to China for all its help in the search for the ill-fated plane. Malaysia has thanked China for its expertise and technical know-how, and for all the resources it contributed to the search for the aircraft.

In addition to the missing plane, the two countries are also expected to discuss regional and international issues, including disputes in the South China Sea.

Malaysia has been China’s biggest trade partner in ASEAN for six consecutive years, with two-way trade volume amounting to $106 billion in 2013.

During his stay in Beijing, Najib is scheduled to host an economic summit to be attended by Chinese businessmen and representatives to further enhance economic cooperation, and to attract more Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Malaysia.