Malaysia and China plan to expand their cooperation in artificial intelligence, the digital economy and new energies. This was reported by Chinese state media following a meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and China’s President on Thursday. The aim was also to jointly oppose protectionism and support each other on global and regional issues. Like the EU, Beijing has an interest in building new value chains in Southeast Asia and forging ties with the region. China announced on Thursday that it would now also issue five-year, multiple-entry visas for „qualified business people“ from Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. rtf/ari