DPM Zahid's China visit focuses on security and trade

SHANGHAI: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrived in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province in China on Sunday (Sept 8) for a five-day working visit until Sept 12.

The Deputy Prime Minister's flight touched down at Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport at 4.40pm local time, where he was greeted by Malaysia’s Ambassador to China, Datuk Norman Muhamad.

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On Monday (Sept 9), Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, is scheduled to attend the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum Lianyungang (GPSCFL) 2024 and engage in discussions with State Councillor and Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong.

Invited by Tsang Wai-Hung, chairman of GPSCFL, and Chen Zinmin, President of the China Friendship Association, Ahmad Zahid will participate in the forum in Lianyungang from Sept 8 to 9.

Themed "Win-win Cooperation Under Significant Changes: Building a Global Community of Common Public Security,” the conference will bring together international leaders to tackle public security challenges.

Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail will also participate in the conference.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ahmad Zahid is also scheduled to visit Shanghai for the Malaysia-China Halal Business Forum, organised by Halal Development Corporation (HDC), which will feature halal industry players from both countries on Sept 10.

"He will also witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mara Aerospace & Technologies Sdn Bhd and Honeycomb Aerospace Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd in the aviation sector,” the statement read.

For 15 consecutive years since 2009, China has been Malaysia’s largest global trading partner. In 2023, trade between the two countries was valued at RM450.84bil (US$98.80bil), accounting for 17.1% of Malaysia’s global trade.

In the first half of 2024, trade reached RM234.09bil (US$49.53bil). In the first quarter of 2024 alone, 24 manufacturing projects were approved with a total investment of RM3.4bil (US$717.7mil). – Bernama