Malaysia will pursue closer economic ties with its biggest trading partner, China, and will devise plans to attract more investment from Beijing, Malaysia’s International Trade Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said.
Trends showed that Chinese companies are getting more keen to do business and invest in Malaysia despite investment numbers that dwarf the high trade figures at present, Mustapa said last Friday in Cyberjaya.
Malaysia’s trade with China stood at RM302 billion in 2012 according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, an 8% year-on-year increase in 2012. That number is set to grow further this year as trade has increased 3.8% in the first six months of 2013 despite news flow suggesting China’s economic growth is set to slow to 7.5% this year from 7.8% in 2012.
“It is our policy to further increase ties with China. But we will work to attract more investment from China as the investment is lagging behind compared to the buoyant trade between the two countries,” he said.
Mustapa was speaking at the briefing of the Malaysia-China Entrepreneur Conference (MCEC) to be held in December this year.
Meanwhile, he took the opportunity to reassure the Malaysian public that the government was listening to all the complaints by the local nongovernment organisations on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.
He said the government will hold an open day to get public feedback on the TPP negotiations on Aug 1, at Malaysia External Trade Development Corp.
“We understand the concerns expressed by the public on certain issues that we are negotiating on but I want to emphasise once again that the work is still in progress and nothing has been finalised,” he said.
Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce president Datuk Bong Hon Liong said the MCEC will aim to create new business opportunities with the help from government and entrepreneurs.
“MCEC 2013 comes at a time as where we would truly like to infuse the importance of positive energy to help the economy to have a greater turnover and to excel in line with its theme “Positive Energy Creates Better Opportunity,” said Bong.
With an expected turnout of approximately 1,000 participants from Malaysia, China, as well as residents of South Asian and Asean countries, the conference will offer opportunities for the exchanging of ideas, explore and expand greater networks and improve and increase trade exchanges and collaborations between Malaysia and China.
Organising chairman of MCEC 2013, Alice Lee said the organisers hoped to create a platform that allows entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and information, incorporate more positive energy to be more competitive and to create bigger business opportunities.
Trends showed that Chinese companies are getting more keen to do business and invest in Malaysia despite investment numbers that dwarf the high trade figures at present, Mustapa said last Friday in Cyberjaya.
Malaysia’s trade with China stood at RM302 billion in 2012 according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, an 8% year-on-year increase in 2012. That number is set to grow further this year as trade has increased 3.8% in the first six months of 2013 despite news flow suggesting China’s economic growth is set to slow to 7.5% this year from 7.8% in 2012.
“It is our policy to further increase ties with China. But we will work to attract more investment from China as the investment is lagging behind compared to the buoyant trade between the two countries,” he said.
Mustapa was speaking at the briefing of the Malaysia-China Entrepreneur Conference (MCEC) to be held in December this year.
Meanwhile, he took the opportunity to reassure the Malaysian public that the government was listening to all the complaints by the local nongovernment organisations on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.
He said the government will hold an open day to get public feedback on the TPP negotiations on Aug 1, at Malaysia External Trade Development Corp.
“We understand the concerns expressed by the public on certain issues that we are negotiating on but I want to emphasise once again that the work is still in progress and nothing has been finalised,” he said.
Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce president Datuk Bong Hon Liong said the MCEC will aim to create new business opportunities with the help from government and entrepreneurs.
“MCEC 2013 comes at a time as where we would truly like to infuse the importance of positive energy to help the economy to have a greater turnover and to excel in line with its theme “Positive Energy Creates Better Opportunity,” said Bong.
With an expected turnout of approximately 1,000 participants from Malaysia, China, as well as residents of South Asian and Asean countries, the conference will offer opportunities for the exchanging of ideas, explore and expand greater networks and improve and increase trade exchanges and collaborations between Malaysia and China.
Organising chairman of MCEC 2013, Alice Lee said the organisers hoped to create a platform that allows entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and information, incorporate more positive energy to be more competitive and to create bigger business opportunities.