Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak arrived on Tuesday evening, kicking off his first official visit to China after taking office in April.

Najib paid his four-day official visit at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. During Najib's stay in Beijing he will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other state leaders.

Najib's tour coincides with the 35th anniversary of the establishment of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties. The Prime Minister is expected to attend events to celebrate the anniversary. He will also join a business forum of entrepreneurs from China and Malaysia.

Malaysia was the first country among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to forge diplomatic relations with China 35 years ago under then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, Najib's late father.

China expects Najib's visit could further strengthen ties and deepen strategic cooperation, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu when announcing Najib's visit.

Malaysia wants to pass the 1 million Chinese visitor mark in 2009

Tourism Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen paid an official visit to China in April and met her counterpart Shao Qiwei, chairman of China’s National Tourism Administration (CNTA) on 24th April. She said Malaysia would concentrate on China’s big tourism potential to boost the economy in the current global economic downturn. China was an important market for Malaysia and tourism was the second largest earner. Malaysia wants to pass the 1 million Chinese visitor mark in 2009.