Polish Foreign Minister To Visit Malaysia Next Week -- Mission

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski is scheduled to undertake an official visit to Malaysia on Sept 3, according to a press release from the Embassy of  Poland  here.

During the visit, which will be the first for a Polish Foreign Minister to Malaysia since 2002, Sikorski is expected to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The visit follows other important bilateral contacts between Poland in Malaysia earlier this year. In June, the first political consultations between Foreign Ministries of both countries since 2010 took place in Warsaw, according to the release.

In April, the Premier of Sarawak, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, visited Poland to attend the H2POLAND (Central European Hydrogen Technology Forum) in Poznań. In May, President Andrzej Duda met with Anwar on the side-lines of the Qatar Economic Forum, it added.

“Meetings with the highest authorities of Malaysia are part of Poland’s broader agenda of strengthening bilateral relations, in particular in the area of ​​security and economy, but also people-to-people exchanges.

“Malaysia has become a very important partner in global supply chains, also for Poland. Both countries’ goal is to generate constant trade growth based on traditional goods, but also on modern solutions and products,” the release added.

On another development, the release said Poland is interested in acceding to the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), which would be a step towards strengthening relations with ASEAN countries.

“Poland’s joining the treaty, possibly during Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025, would open up new opportunities for cooperation,” the release read.

It added that with some 38 million inhabitants, its strategic location in the heart of Europe and the 20-year experience of the European Union (EU) membership, Poland boasts a stable economy with a well-established macroeconomic position, a sound financial sector and domestic labour markets that have supported significant wage growth and private consumption.

As the largest country of Central Europe, Poland offers broad access to the EU market of 500 million citizens, it added.

Data from Polish Central Statistical Office showed bilateral trade between Poland and Malaysia in 2023 totaled almost US$1.65 billion.

Polish exports to Malaysia amounted to US$265 million, while Polish imports from Malaysia stood at US$1.38 billion.

Preliminary data for the period January to May 2024 indicate that exports from Poland amounted to US$142 million during this period, and imports from Malaysia is US$680 million.

Sikorski’s visit to Southeast Asia is a significant element in the current intensification of Poland’s relations with important Asian partners, which has been evidenced by the recent visit of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Poland, as well as the July visit of President Andrzej Duda to China, the release added.

-- BERNAMA