KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 21 -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said that he had called on the country's businessmen to help promote the economic ties between his country and China.

"I urge you to tap the opportunities offered by expanding your business and investments in China, and to encourage your Chinese partners to explore new opportunities here in Malaysia," he said Wednesday night at a dinner in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations.

Najib asked the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCIM), the country's largest chamber of commerce representing the Chinese community and the organizer of the event, and all the corporate leaders present to continue to work with the Malaysian government to encourage more investment from China.

The prime minister said the seeds of the two countries' relations sown 40 years ago have indeed blossomed, adding that the relationship is set to grow stronger over the next four decades.

On May 31, 1974, Najib's father, then Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, signed a Joint Communique with then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai during the former's historic visit to China, launching a new era for bilateral ties.