KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's national carmaker Proton launched its first dedicated electric vehicle (EV) factory in Perak state, marking a new milestone in the country's industrial journey.

This reflects close cooperation between Malaysia and China through Proton and its strategic partner, Geely, thus driving the country's automotive industry to a higher level, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in his officiating remarks at the launch on Thursday.

"This is proven because not only do they benefit from the collaboration in this field and industry, but their willingness to transfer technology and provide space for locals (to be involved in the industry)," he said.

Anwar emphasized that China's willingness to engage in technology transfers and the training of local engineers has gone beyond typical investments, helping Malaysians to master future automotive technology.

He added that the development of the Proton EV factory is in line with the country's key policies, which emphasize mastering high technology.

"The launch of this EV factory fulfils several policies. Firstly, our climate policy, namely the energy transition. Secondly, it also fulfils what we call our industrial roadmap and master plan... and, of course, the national automotive policy," he said. ■