Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived here Tuesday for a state visit to enhance strategic cooperation between China and Malaysia.

This is the first state visit to Malaysia by a Chinese head of state in the past 15 years.

During his stay in Malaysia, Hu will hold talks with Supreme Head of State Mizan Abidin and meet with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue at a news briefing last Friday.

"President Hu's visit to Malaysia will surely further deepen strategic cooperation between the two nations and advance bilateral ties," he said.

China-Malaysia relations have developed smoothly since the two countries established diplomatic relations 35 years ago, with frequent exchanges of high-level visits, increasing political mutual trust and fruitful cooperation in trade, energy and infrastructure.

Malaysia has become China's largest trading partner among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The two-way trade between the two Asian countries reached $53.47 billion in 2008, two years ahead of a target of $50 billion set by Chinese and Malaysian leaders.

The two countries have also worked together to promote cooperation in East Asia and maintained coordination to deal with the international financial crisis.

Najib visited China in June. During the visit, the Chinese and Malaysian governments signed a joint action plan on strategic cooperation.

Speaking at a press conference last week, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman described President Hu's visit to Malaysia as "another milestone" in the course of development of bilateral relations since China and Malaysia set up diplomatic ties in 1974.

He said that Malaysia attaches great importance to the visit by the Chinese president.

From Malaysia, Hu will fly to Singapore for a state visit and to attend the Economic Leaders Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) scheduled for Nov. 14-15.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2009)