Home Minister Azmi Khalid today said his recent trip to China was related to several immigration issues and not because of the controversial nude-squats video clip.

In a media statement, he said on Nov 10, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had instructed him to go on the eight-day trip even before the clip was exposed on Nov 24.

"My departure however was delayed because on Nov 17, the prime minister ordered me to go to Pakistan first on official matters," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Azmi said he could only leave for China on Dec 5 after getting conformation from the Malaysian embassy there.

"Many quarters think I went to that country because of the video clip, but my purpose for going there was not about that issue.

"My visit was meant to explain several matters related to the perception of the public and government there regarding immigration enforcement issues and other enforcement on Chinese tourists in Malaysia," he added.

Ties 'very important'

He said since his trip to China was around the same time of the Asia (EAS) and Asean + 3 summit in Kuala Lumpur, it had managed to provide 'comfort' during the meeting between Chinese Premier Wen Jiaboa and Abdullah.

"It is clear that the ties between the two nations are very important as China today is a key economic force in the world," he added.

According to Azmi, his trip received widespread media coverage in China and it mirrored Malaysia's sincerity in wanting to preserve the harmony and "bilateral ties which should be seen in a deeper perspective and not from the video clip issue only".

Previously, it was reported that the Chinese media had questioned why there was no representatives from the police in the Malaysian delegation.

Azmi's official visit came following a spate of police abuse allegations against Chinese nationals here.

Meanwhile, the video clip showed a woman, who was widely speculated to be a Chinese national, being forced to do ear squats in the nude at the Petaling Jaya police headquarters.

However, it was later revealed that she was a local Malay woman .