MALAYSIA and Türkiye have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership following the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), marking a new chapter in bilateral relations between the two countries.
The meeting was co-chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
According to a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, the session represented a significant milestone in strengthening cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
Both leaders reaffirmed the longstanding friendship between Malaysia and Türkiye, rooted in shared democratic values and deep cultural ties.
They underscored their common commitment to promoting peace, stability and prosperity at the bilateral, regional and global levels.
The statement said both leaders expressed satisfaction with a series of agreements concluded during Anwar’s official visit, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, information and communication technologies, and the defence industry.
“On economic cooperation, both sides noted the steady growth in bilateral trade and reiterated their ambition to reach a target of US$10 billion, while highlighting the importance of fully utilising the Malaysia–Turkiye Free Trade Agreement and expanding cooperation into new sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, digital trade and services.
“They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in the global halal economy,” the statement said.
The leaders further agreed to deepen bilateral investments and expand cooperation in logistics, maritime connectivity, port development, aviation and emerging economic corridors linking Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific. They also emphasised the importance of promoting collaboration among small and medium-sized enterprises in both countries.
In this context, both sides highlighted the role of civil aviation in enhancing connectivity and encouraged continued consultations between their respective civil aviation authorities to support efficient and sustainable air transport operations, including air cargo and passenger services.
They also welcomed the engagement between business communities during the Türkiye–Malaysia Business Roundtable held in conjunction with the visit.
On defence cooperation, the leaders agreed to enhance collaboration in military science, technology and industry, and to pursue mutually beneficial high-technology projects aimed at strengthening the joint defence industry ecosystem.
“Both sides also committed to enhancing military capacity building through educational and training opportunities for Turkish and Malaysian cadets and officers in Malaysian and Turkish institutions.
“The leaders reiterated their shared commitment to combating transnational organised crime and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and emphasised the importance of international cooperation to address evolving security challenges,” the statement read.
In the area of energy and sustainability, Malaysia and Türkiye expressed their intention to expand cooperation in energy transition, renewable energy, nuclear energy, clean hydrogen and battery technologies. They reaffirmed their shared responsibility to address climate change in line with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Within this framework, both sides welcomed continued engagement on climate change issues ahead of Türkiye’s presidency of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The leaders also agreed to strengthen people-to-people ties through enhanced cooperation in culture, education, tourism and media, with Türkiye expressing its support for the “Visit Malaysia 2026” initiative.
On regional and global matters, Malaysia and Türkiye reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian people and the establishment of an independent State of Palestine. They stressed the need for humanitarian access to Gaza, as well as the importance of multilateralism and reform of the United Nations.
The joint statement concluded that the inaugural HLSCC had laid the foundation for a comprehensive roadmap to deepen bilateral ties. Both sides agreed that the Second High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council Meeting would be held in Malaysia in 2028. - January 8, 2025
