SUBANG: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia departed for China this morning for a four-day state visit at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.
This is His Majesty's first visit to the republic after ascending the throne as the 17th King of Malaysia on Jan 31 this year.
The special aircraft carrying His Majesty departed from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Subang Air Base at 9.40am.
Accompanying His Majesty on the visit are Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zain.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul were present to bid farewell to His Majesty.
Before departing, the King received a Royal Salute from Battalion 1 of the Royal Malay Regiment, consisting of six officers and 114 personnel, before the national anthem, Negaraku, was played, accompanied by a 21-gun salute.
His Majesty's visit symbolises the robust state of bilateral relations between Malaysia and China that have continued to grow since its elevation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2013.
Sultan Ibrahim will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, followed by an audience with Xi and a state banquet hosted by the Chinese President.
His Majesty will also grant an audience to Premier Li Qiang and visit the Beijing COMAC Aircraft Technology Research Centre to observe the latest developments in China's aviation technology.
His Majesty is also scheduled to attend the naming ceremony of the Chair of Malay Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University in His Majesty's honour and engage with the Malaysian diaspora during the visit.
According to Wisma Putra, His Majesty's visit provides an excellent opportunity for both sides to reaffirm a shared commitment to ensuring that Malaysia-China relations continue to remain forward-looking, dynamic, and prosperous for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries based on mutual respect and trust.
The visit also coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China. – BERNAMA