Xi Jinping (right) meets with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing on August 20, 2018. (Photo: Xinhua)

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing on Monday.

"China firmly upholds China-Malaysia friendship and believes that China-Malaysia relations will have much to do in the new era," Xi said.

President Xi made the remarks when meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing on Monday, vowing to strengthen strategic communication.

Malaysia is the first country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish diplomatic relations with China and also one of the first countries to positively respond to the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi noted.

"The two sides should make efforts in jointly building the Belt and Road and make it the main line to promote pragmatic cooperation between China and Malaysia in the new era," Xi said and hailed Mahathir's Asian values.

Xi also vowed to increase the voice of developing countries in the world and firmly oppose unilateralism and trade protectionism.

Mahathir responded that his visit shows clearly that Malaysia's friendly policy toward China will not change and China's rapid development is not a threat to Malaysia.

Malaysia welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Malaysia and Malaysia's Look East policy will learn from the successful experience of China's development, he added.

"China's Belt and Road Initiative will promote regional exchanges and cooperation, which will benefit all countries in the region," he noted.

The prime minister also stressed that Malaysia is willing to actively participate in the joint construction of Belt and Road.

(With input from CGTN)