HANGZHOU: Malaysia has secured more than RM28bil in potential investments following trade talks with major Chinese industry players, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The commitments were secured during a three-day working visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou, which included a roundtable discussion with 21 companies and targeted meetings with five Chinese industrial giants.
The high-impact investments span several strategic sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, robotics, electric vehicles, biotechnology and advanced medical devices.
“The vast majority of these companies expressed their commitment to increasing investments due to their confidence in our stability and the policies we are currently implementing.
“Overall, these business meetings recorded potential investments valued at over RM28bil,” Anwar said.
He made the announcement following the launch of the Malaysia Pavilion at the 5th Global Digital Trade Expo at the Hangzhou Grand Convention and Exhibition Center here yesterday, Bernama reported.
On another matter, Anwar said Malaysia would continue to be open to China’s investment in digital technology as well as cooperation.
He credited the Chinese government’s willingness to showcase and share technologies through various platforms.
“From food to new technology, China, as you host digitally today, has shown your willingness to showcase and share this technology.
“This applies well to the digital economy and (this is) why we will continue to open our economy to benefit digital investments and partnerships.
“Thank you for allowing us to showcase Malaysia’s national pavilion, including Chinese participation,” he said.
At the same time, the Prime Minister also shared Malaysia’s advantages, which are the discipline of their workers, skill, multilingual workforce, rules-based economy and a base for reaching markets across Asia and beyond.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, welcomed China’s President Xi Jinping’s strong position that digital trade and artificial intelligence should help mitigate inequality instead of worsening it.
Citing a Chinese proverb, “A single flower alone does not make spring; when many flowers blossom, spring fills the garden”, Anwar said progress would mean little if its gains are confined to a few countries, a few companies, a few communities or elites.
“A stronger digital economy will be one in which more nations can take part, more businesses can compete and more people can prosper. Let us work together to help build this economy,” he said.
