KUALA LUMPUR: The King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim will be on an official visit to China starting this Thursday.

This is His Majesty’s first visit to China since his coronation earlier this year.

He will be accompanied by Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook and Housing and Local Government Minister Ngah Kor Ming for the four-day three-night visit to Beijing.

Sultan Ibrahim was invited to visit China a decade after the 14th King Tuanku Al-Haj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah’s visit to China in 2014.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be having a bilateral talk with Sultan Ibrahim at the Great Hall of the People, followed by a state banquet.

Besides meeting Xi, His Majesty will also meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss the 14 memorandums of understanding signed when the latter visited Malaysia in June on the progress and upgrade of the Malaysia-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

It is learned that the visit is packed with a series of events including paying tribute to the Chinese heroes at Tiananmen Square and a meeting with Malaysians residing in China

The King will also visit the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC), China’s state-owned aerospace manufacturer,  to explore collaboration opportunities.

China is Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years and largest investing country for 14 consecutive years.

Fresh durians from Malaysia have been exported to China following Li Qiang’s visit in June.

Sultan Ibrahim said China and Johor have had enjoyed good ties since thw Qing Dynasty.

His Majesty’s great great grandfather Sultan Abu Bakar was awarded the Imperial Order of the Double Dragon by Qing Emperor Guangxu in 1892.