1-11-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, received a courtesy call from his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte, at Seri Perdana on Wednesday (Nov 1). The meeting between the two leaders signifies the ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral relations between Malaysia and the Netherlands.
Mark Rutte arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday (Oct 31) for a two-day working visit, marking his second trip to the country since his inaugural visit in 2014. Prime Minister Anwar warmly welcomed Rutte upon his arrival at the Prime Minister’s official residence around noon on Wednesday. Subsequently, the leaders engaged in bilateral talks to discuss various issues of mutual concern, including the strengthening of ties between Malaysia and the Netherlands, as well as regional and international matters.
Following an extensive discussion lasting nearly an hour, Prime Minister Anwar hosted a luncheon in honor of Rutte’s visit to Malaysia, further cementing the diplomatic relationship between the two nations.
In 2022, the Netherlands emerged as Malaysia’s 14th largest trading partner and the second largest within the European Union (EU), with a trade volume of RM48.04 billion (US$10.93 billion). This marked a significant increase of 33.4% compared to the previous year when trade amounted to RM36.01 billion (US$8.68 billion) in 2021.
Moreover, the Netherlands holds the distinction of being the largest importer of Malaysian palm oil among EU countries, with a total import of 732,324.54 tonnes.
