Y.B. Dato' Mustapa Mohamed

On 28 April 2011, Malaysia signed an agreement with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to expand and deepen the existing economic and trade cooperation. The agreement was inked by Minister of International Trade and Industry, YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed and Chinese Minister of Commerce, H.E. Chen Deming and witnessed by Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese Premier H.E. Wen Jiabao who was on official visit to Malaysia.

The agreement allows for better coordination of cooperation projects that involve various Ministries and Government agencies. It will help to reinforce and complement the existing engagements established by the respective ministries of both countries.

One of the main features of the agreement is the establishment of an Economic Cooperation Working Group (ECWG) which consists of Government officials of both countries. The Working Group will be tasked to identify specific sectoral investment and cooperation projects in areas such as agriculture, services, tourism, ICT and projects that are of mutual interest to Malaysia and the PRC, which will be beneficial to the business communities in both countries.

The signing of the agreement would facilitate businesses in both countries to plan and implement business cooperation programmes and also to inject fresh momentum into existing bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
This article is adapted from the MWB Vol.142, 18 May 2011