At the ASEAN-China-Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Malaysia, the Cross-Border Interbank Payment and Settlement Company (CIPS) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates to strengthen payment infrastructure and improve cross-border payment efficiency. The cooperation includes joint research and development of an interconnection project between cross-border payment systems, intended to provide local-currency payment and settlement services to commercial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The MOU also covers exchanges on risk and compliance practices and efforts to enhance the security and stability of cross-border payment systems.