Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - The fateof the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is close to being finalised with just someminor details to be sorted out in negotiations between Malaysia and China.

Tun Daim Zainuddin, who willlead a delegation from Malaysia to China to mend ties with the world’s secondlargest economy and Malaysia’s largest trading partner, said the team fromChina has been working with Malaysian officials for some time on the projectand all that is left are some small issues to be ironed out.

Daim said he has been intouch with the relevant parties in China and both countries have reached adecision to finalise the agreement.

The ECRL project has beenhalted since July 3, 2018. The 688km rail link, if built, will connect PortKlang in Selangor with Pengkalan Kubor in Kelantan, and will be constructed intwo phases.

Daim will brief PrimeMinister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of the developments over the ECRL and willhead to China next month. It is an important trip so that any past frictionbetween both countries could be smoothened out given the long historical tiesboth countries have shared.

Mending ties that seem tohave been fractured is important as after Pakatan Harapan took power, contractswith Chinese companies, particularly the ECRL, were jettisoned. Negotiationshave continued to resolve the impasse and both countries seem to have mendedtheir differences and are back on the footing they had in the past.-VNA