WASHINGTON: The visit by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to the United States, which concluded on Wednesday, has further strengthened bilateral relations and elevated Malaysia's standing in the global biotechnology arena.
In addition to promoting Malaysia's biotechnology industry, the Deputy Prime Minister's visit was filled with meetings with senior U.S. administration officials and investors.
Describing his visit as a success, Muhyiddin noted that several advancements in Kuala Lumpur-Washington relations were achieved through the discussions held.
"We were able to emphasize the importance of our relationship in various fields such as education, defense, security, and others, and highlight the need to further enhance these ties," he said.
Senior U.S. officials from the State Department, National Security Council, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense met with Muhyiddin at a breakfast meeting.
In this informal meeting, they discussed issues such as Malaysia's humanitarian contributions to Afghanistan, the English Teaching Assistance program where American teachers help teach English in Malaysia, and visa facilities for Malaysians visiting the United States.
During the meeting, Muhyiddin was informed that the U.S. administration considers Malaysia-U.S. relations to be at their best, especially under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Muhyiddin also engaged in dialogue with representatives from selected local think tanks, where bilateral, regional, and international issues were discussed.
"They provided their views and asked questions. I explained our international policies and Malaysia's stance on issues concerning the Middle East, ASEAN, our relationship with China, and others. They seemed satisfied with my explanations.
"Such participation is very beneficial, and they have begun to understand Malaysia better than before. They see the importance of Malaysia as a country that can contribute to the United States and in an international context," Muhyiddin said.
He also met with several American business leaders, including investors in Malaysia, at an event organized by the US-ASEAN Business Council.
These leaders included representatives from Intel, Qualcomm, Honeywell, Citi Group, AT&T, Ace Group, and Conoco.
"The business council expressed satisfaction with Malaysia's treatment of companies based in the country. Not a single complaint was raised to me," he said.
Muhyiddin attended the BIO International Convention and was honored to inaugurate the exhibition alongside Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and BIO CEO James Greenwood, making him the first foreign leader invited to do so.
He also attended the launch event for BioMalaysia 2011 and the 2011 Pacific Rim Summit on Biotechnology and Bioenergy, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur in November.
This marks the first time the Pacific Rim Summit is being held outside the United States since its inception.
"This is a positive development as we host the event. We can expand our network of cooperation with American companies, organizers, and other parties," he said.
Muhyiddin described his presence at the BIO International Convention as a testament to the Malaysian government's strong focus on science and technology.
He also visited the University of Maryland to explore potential collaborations between Malaysia and the university, particularly in the field of agro-biotechnology research and development.
Identified areas of collaboration include vaccine production for avian influenza and Newcastle Disease.
News source: BERNAMA
News source: BERNAMA
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