Turkey to pursue defense ties With Malaysia on ‘win-win’ basis

(MENAFN) President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced Wednesday that Türkiye will continue exploring collaborative initiatives with Malaysia in the defense sector, emphasizing that such efforts will be “guided by the win-win principle.” His comments came during a joint press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Erdoğan recalled his visit to Kuala Lumpur in February of the previous year, where both governments agreed to establish a high-level cooperation council. He noted that the council’s first meeting took place on Wednesday, accompanied by the signing of new agreements designed to reinforce the legal and institutional framework of bilateral relations.

Highlighting Malaysia’s role as Türkiye’s largest trading partner within ASEAN, Erdoğan pointed out that the two countries already have a free trade agreement in place. He reiterated the previously announced target of achieving $10 billion in trade volume, expressing confidence that this goal can be met through balanced and sustainable collaboration.

The Turkish president also encouraged Malaysia to expand its investments in Türkiye, saying, “Likewise, we wish to bring renewed momentum to the investment relations between our countries and encourage Malaysia to increase its investments in our country."

Beyond defense and trade, Erdoğan stressed the importance of cultural and educational exchanges, noting that these areas “will strengthen the ties” between the two nations.

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