Father's vision recalled

For Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Thursday's meeting with Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People was not only about consolidating his country's relations with China but also an opportunity for him to salute the vision of his late father.

On May 31, 1974, Najib's father, then-Malaysian prime minister Abdul Razak, signed a joint communique with then-Chinese premier Zhou Enlai to establish diplomatic ties.

Malaysia became the first member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to forge diplomatic relations with China. This was viewed as a brave move at the height of the Cold War.