China-Malaysia friendship lasts forever(2)

Malaysia and China have been working closely together from the moment the aircraft disappeared. Malaysian officials from the departments involved kept in close contact with their Chinese counterparts. The Chinese authorities played a key role in the international investigation team that helped to narrow down the search area off Western Australia.

I am very grateful for the contribution made by China – in terms of both expertise and technical know-how, and the assets China contributed to the search operation, including search aircraft and ships. Malaysia is indebted to many countries for their help in MH370, such as Australia which has led the search operation off Perth. And we are especially grateful to China – we could not have made so much progress in the search without China's considerable contribution. We want to work in close cooperation with China and other relevant parties and continue to make our best endeavours to carry out the search and investigation work in the future.

In forty years' time, in the 2050s, we will be in the middle of the 'Asian Century'. China will undoubtedly be the world's biggest economic power, and Malaysia will be a mature, developed nation. Then, as now, it is my firm belief that relations between our countries will remain strong. I have the conviction that Malaysia and China will continue to be, not just friends, but partners for peace and prosperity.