KUALA LUMPUR: Over 30 Chinese private sector entrepreneurs are exploring investment and business opportunities in Malaysia, focusing on sectors aligned with the priorities of the 13th Malaysia Plan and China’s 15th Five-Year Plan.
The delegation, led by All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) vice-chairman Pansy Ho, took part in an exchange session with the Malaysia-China Business Council (MCBC) here on Tuesday (Nov 3).
The entrepreneurs represented various sectors, including advanced manufacturing, energy equipment, life sciences, elderly care, consumer brands, food and beverage, urban development, cultural tourism and the digital economy.
Ho, also Shun Tak Holdings group executive chairman and managing director, said the visit aimed to give the delegation a better understanding of Malaysia's development priorities and trade and investment policies.
“Potential areas of cooperation included joint production, supply chain development, skills training and market expansion, with the aim of building mutually beneficial relationships with Malaysian businesses,” she said in a statement.
In his welcoming remarks, MCBC executive director and chief executive Datuk Tan Tian Meng said the delegation's visit reflected the strong interest among Chinese private enterprises in the Malaysian market and bilateral economic cooperation.
He said frequent high-level exchanges between Malaysia and China in recent years had created favourable conditions for greater business collaboration.
Tan added that Malaysia's push towards higher value-added industries, particularly its established electrical and electronics and semiconductor sectors, offered opportunities for Chinese investors.
“The country's multicultural environment and multilingual workforce is an advantage for Chinese companies looking to invest and operate in Malaysia.
“The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) was another development expected to create fresh opportunities for industrial growth along its route," he said.
The session also featured a presentation on Malaysia's investment policies by Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) Foreign Investment Division director May Lim, followed by company introductions and discussions on potential areas of cooperation.
The Chinese delegation also included ACFIC vice-chairman and China Feihe Ltd chairman and chief executive officer Leng Youbin.
Other Malaysian attendees included MCBC directors Datuk Abdul Majit Ahmad Khan and Datuk Beh Hang Kong, advisor Sun Jianwei, and Bank of China (Malaysia) Bhd president Wu Jun, who is also an MCBC advisor.
