MP SPEAKS | All over the world, events are developing at an unprecedented speed, and it is important that Malaysians, if they are to succeed in the building of a 'new Malaysia' which is a world top-class nation, keep abreast or even ahead of these developments.

China, for instance, led the world when state news agency Xinhua this week introduced the newest members of its newsroom – artificial intelligence news anchors who will report 'tirelessly' all day, every day, from anywhere in the country.

In China, new developments are taking place by leaps and bounds.

In September, Hong Kong opened a new high-speed bullet-train rail link with Guangzhou, which reduced journey time to 48 minutes; while the longest 55-kilometre sea bridge, connecting Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai in mainland China was opened by President Xi Jinping last month.

No man is an island and in the modern world, no country can retreat into its own world and disregard what is happening in the international society.

This is why I hope that the US-China trade war, which will be detrimental to the economies of both countries, as well as undermining international economic developments, will end at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Argentina at the end of November.

Only time will tell whether my hope is realistic or not.

LIM KIT SIANG is the MP for Iskandar Puteri. 

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.