Ankara, January 8, 2026 – The Europe Today: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Türkiye will continue to assess joint steps with Malaysia in the defence industry based on a “win-win principle,” underscoring Ankara’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
The remarks were made during a joint news conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Recalling his visit to Kuala Lumpur in February last year, President Erdogan noted that the two sides had agreed to establish a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, adding that its first meeting was held on Wednesday.
Erdogan said that agreements signed during the meeting further strengthened the contractual foundation of bilateral relations, highlighting that Malaysia is Türkiye’s largest trading partner within the ASEAN region.
Pointing out that a free trade agreement is already in place between the two countries, the Turkish president recalled that both sides had set a bilateral trade volume target of $10 billion during his visit to Kuala Lumpur. He expressed confidence that the target could be achieved in a balanced and sustainable manner through joint efforts.
He also voiced Türkiye’s desire to see increased Malaysian investment in the country, saying that Ankara seeks to inject new momentum into bilateral investment relations and encourages Malaysia to expand its investments in Türkiye.
President Erdogan said discussions also covered the human dimension of bilateral ties, including cooperation in education and culture, which he said would further strengthen relations between the two nations.
Global and regional issues were also on the agenda, with Erdogan noting that Ankara and Kuala Lumpur share similar views on many international matters. He added that both sides would continue to closely monitor developments in Gaza.
Emphasizing Türkiye’s Asia Anew Initiative launched in 2019, Erdogan said Ankara attaches importance to strengthening cooperation with ASEAN and regional countries. He also praised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his role in helping de-escalate tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.
Agreements Signed
During the meeting, the two sides signed a joint declaration on the establishment of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, as well as the minutes of the first joint committee meeting on cooperation in higher education.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Türkiye’s Investment and Finance Office and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority. Türkiye’s Export Credit Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Malaysia also signed an MoU.
In addition, cooperation agreements were concluded between the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) and the Malaysian Institute of Strategic and International Studies in the field of economic and social research.
DESAN Shipyards and Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs signed a letter of acceptance for the procurement of a multi-purpose mission vessel.
An MoU on cooperation in information and communication technologies was also signed between Türkiye’s Information and Communications Technologies Authority and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
