JOHOR BARU: Johor can position itself as a strategic gateway for Chinese companies looking to expand to Asean under the China+1 strategy, says the Johor Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (JACCCI).
Its president, Datuk Jeffrey Lai Jiun Jye, said the state’s growing prominence is further strengthened by the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), which has attracted increasing interest from foreign investors seeking a stable and well-connected regional base.
“The global supply chain restructuring and the ongoing China+1 strategy have created fresh opportunities for Johor to emerge as an important investment and industrial hub in South-East Asia.
“With our proximity to Singapore, established logistics network, competitive costs, and growing talent pool, Johor is well- positioned to attract international companies seeking expansion into the Asean market,” he said.
Last week, Lai led a delegation of business representatives and young entrepreneurs on a trade and investment mission to Harbin and Shanghai in China, where they held engagements with government agencies, business chambers and local firms.
The visit focused on areas such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, smart agriculture, healthcare technology, logistics, and tourism- related industries.
“We participated in engagement sessions with businesses to explore opportunities in various sectors, where we also promoted opportunities within the JS-SEZ and highlighted Johor’s ecosystem-driven investment strategy.
“These days, in addition to focusing on policies, companies are paying more attention to whether the local industrial chain is complete, their ability to cooperate with others, and the maturity of their talent and logistics system.
“They are also looking at whether the government and private sector share a consistent long-term development direction,” he said, adding that feedback from the meetings was that their Chinese counterparts viewed Johor as a strategic entry point into the wider Asean market due to its connectivity and the potential offered by JS-SEZ.
Lai said the delegation also participated in the China-Russia Expo and Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair, where Malaysia was featured as the guest country of honour, a platform that provided Malaysian businesses with greater exposure to north-east China and Russian markets.
He said the trade mission was aimed at creating long-term business networks and facilitating more enterprise-matching, youth entrepreneur exchanges, and cross-border investment cooperation between Johor and various regions in China.
Lai also pointed out that last month’s trade mission to Shanghai led by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi was successful, as it attracted about RM10bil in potential investments, with some 40 Chinese companies committing to investing in and establishing operations within JS-SEZ.
