CYBERJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia enjoys better international recognition now due to strategic cooperation with major powers such as China and Russia.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the cooperation does not affect existing relations with Malaysia's traditional trading partners, including ASEAN, Europe and the United States (US).

"Even though we are approaching China because of China's capabilities and economic strength and updating relations with Russia because of Russia's capabilities in several fields of technology (such as) aerospace and nuclear energy which is much faster, we remain friends with our traditional friends which include Asean, Europe and the United States," he added.

He said this when speaking at the launching ceremony of the Public-Private Cooperation Master Plan 2030 (PIKAS 2030) here today. The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Selangor Chief Minister Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.

-- BERNAMA