Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang addresses the evening reception to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Malaysia in Beijing, capital of China, on June 4, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) -- A reception was held here on Thursday evening to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia.

    Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak addressed the reception, pledging to advance bilateral relationship to a new level.

    Li said the growth of China-Malaysia ties in the past 35 years had brought tangible benefits to the two peoples, and helped promote regional peace and development.

    The current sound bilateral relations profited from the traditional friendship, the broad common interests and the great importance attached by both leaders to promoting the ties, Li noted.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang(R) cuts a cake together with his counterpart Najib Tun Razak during the evening reception to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Malaysia in Beijing, capital of China, on June 4, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Photo Gallery>>>

    Under the new situation, the potentials for China-Malaysia cooperation were great, Li said, noting that China would work with Malaysia to jointly cope with the international financial crisis.

    The two governments signed a joint action plan on China-Malaysia strategic cooperation on Wednesday, which outlined the political, economic, cultural, and education cooperation in the coming years.

    Li hoped the two nations would fulfill the action plan and expand the bilateral strategic cooperation.

    Echoing Li, Najib said his government was ready to increase cooperation with China in an all-around way, in a bid to lift bilateral ties into a new historical level.

    Najib said his country was proud of becoming the first country among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to forge diplomatic relations with China 35 years ago.

    Najib's late father, then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, signed the communique on diplomatic ties with China at that time.

    At a press conference here Thursday evening, Najib said that he is very delighted with the outcome of his China visit, stressing that the cornerstone of bilateral relations and the emphasis of further cooperation will still be the economic and business ties.

    "My visit is not only to follow the footsteps, but more to run faster and further," said Najib, adding that he believed there is so much potential to raise the bilateral relations to the next phase.

    "We are excited about the prospect between Malaysia and China, " he said.

    Najib arrived here on Tuesday for a four-day official visit. China is the first country he visited outside the ASEAN since he took office in April.