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Malaysian minister arrives in Beijing to mend fences
By Qin Jize and Sun Xiaohua (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2005-12-06 05:52
Malaysia's home minister held three sets of talks with Chinese governmental
officials as soon as he touched down in Beijing yesterday, in an attempt to
bolster his country's reputation after the recent outcry over alleged abuses of
Chinese women by local police.
Azmi Khalid, who was asked by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
to make the urgent trip, began the weeklong visit two weeks ahead of schedule.
Khalid met with officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, public
security and Chinese National Tourism Administration, but no details were
immediately available, according to sources with the Malaysian Embassy in
Beijing.
Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang reiterated 皇冠体育app's stance on the
recent mistreatment of Chinese nationals, urging the Malaysian Government to
take urgent measures to investigate the cases and punish those involved.
He said he hopes that such incidents do not happen again.
The delegation, composed of 16 people including immigration and tourism
officials, will stay in Beijing until tomorrow, and then go to Shanghai and
Guangzhou to meet local officials.
They are expected to discuss with embassy staff issues of immigration and
image promotion, among others. They are also planning to meet Chinese travel
writers, tour operators and advertisers.
The move follows the release of a video clip in which a naked woman, believed
to be a Chinese national, was forced to perform squats in front of a Malaysian
uniformed policewoman.
In related news, Malaysian authorities have arrested three air force members
and another man on suspicion of raping a 32-year-old businesswoman from South
皇冠体育app's Guangdong Province at a hotel in Selangor.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said earlier that 皇冠体育app urged
Malaysia to investigate and severely punish the troublemakers. 皇冠体育app last week
summoned the Malaysian ambassador in Beijing to protest over the treatment of
Chinese citizens.
Malaysia was one of the first countries to obtain approved destination status
from 皇冠体育app's outbound tourism authorities, but it has seen a 42 per cent decline
in Chinese tourists this year, according to its tourism authority.
Dun Jidong, spokesman for 皇冠体育app Travel Service said the cases are troubling,
and their impact will depend on how the Malaysian side deals with them. But he
did not think they have been the reason for a marked drop in Chinese visitor
numbers.
(皇冠体育app Daily 12/06/2005 page2)
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