E-commerce is another avenue to grow businesses, and both Malaysian and Chinese SMEs are taking advantage of it.

THE 12th China-Asean Expo (Caexpo) in Nanning, Guangxi province concluded on Monday (Sept 21), after four days of trading and business matching.

A billboard near the venue advertised: “You are just one handshake away from the market of 1.9 billion people,” referring to the combined pop­u­lation of 1.3 billion from China and 620 million from 10 Asean cou­ntries.

The Malaysian pavilion was the busiest at the Caexpo.

Visitors thronged the hall for the food and beverages, health and wellness products, lifestyle products and other services offered by the exhibitors.

While goods changed hands and meetings between potential partners took place under the Jalur Gemilang hanging from the hall ceiling, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were encouraged to give e-commerce a try.

International Trade and Industry Minister II Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, who opened the...

BEIJING, Sept 9 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) on Tuesday opened its third office in China to further woo investments.

Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed, said the office, after Shanghai and Guangzhou, was to serve and facilitate Chinese investors amid their strong interests to invest in Malaysia.

He said the office would enhance MIDA’s efforts to attract Chinese companies to invest in Malaysia as well as act as a resources centre for interested companies looking for business and investment opportunities in Malaysia.

“China is a very important country for Malaysia and we hope the new office would further attract their investments,” he told reporters after officiating MIDA’s office here Tuesday.

Mustapa said the Chinese companies had strong presence in Malaysia’s construction industry as well as in property, manufacturing, services and ports.

He said Malaysia had seen an increase in investments...

KUALA LUMPUR: Perbadanan Pembangunan Perdagangan Luar Malaysia (Matrade) menyasarkan untuk meningkat eksport barangan pertanian ke Turki tahun ini, diperkukuh oleh permintaan yang semakin meningkat ke atas buah-buahan tropika di negara itu.

Pesuruhjaya Perdagangan Matrade di Istanbul Idzham Abd Hamid berkata buah-buahan tropika seperti nanas, belimbing dan buah naga, mendapat permintaan tinggi di Turki.

Istanbul kini mengimport sebagaian besar buah-buahan tropika dari Belanda.

“Kita patut merebut peluang untuk mengeksport (lebih banyak) buah-buahan tropika kita ke negara itu,” katanya kepada pemberita di uar seminar Perjanjian Perdagangan Bebas (FTA) Malaysia-Turki, di sini, Rabu.

Eksport utama Malaysia ke Turki bagi tempoh Januari hingga Julai 2015 terdiri daripada barangan pertanian, dengan dagangan bagi segmen itu bernilai  RM386 juta, diikuti barangan pembuatan (RM1.2 bilion) dan barangan perlombongan  (RM3.3 juta).

Seminar bertema ‘Memanfaatkan FTA...

Asean countries are on track for progressive liberalisation of trade within the region, covering 128 sub-sectors via the Asean Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS).

The liberalisation will boost the services sector’s contribution to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) from the current 40% to 50%, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

He said AFAS will be a platform for services providers to take advantage of the market openings as well as to benefit from new ideas and processes arising out of the opening of the services sector.

Efforts has been put into concluding the AFAS 10th package by year-end to provide wider and better opportunities for members in tapping the benefits of the services sector,” he said in his opening address at the inaugural Asean Service Provider Confederation (ASPC) meeting yesterday.

His speech was read by Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) CEO Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud. Last year, Asean...

BEIJING, Sept 9 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) on Tuesday opened its third office in China to further woo investments.

Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed, said the office, after Shanghai and Guangzhou, was to serve and facilitate Chinese investors amid their strong interests to invest in Malaysia.

He said the office would enhance MIDA’s efforts to attract Chinese companies to invest in Malaysia as well as act as a resources centre for interested companies looking for business and investment opportunities in Malaysia.

“China is a very important country for Malaysia and we hope the new office would further attract their investments,” he told reporters after officiating MIDA’s office here Tuesday.

Mustapa said the Chinese companies had strong presence in Malaysia’s construction industry as well as in property, manufacturing, services and ports.

He said Malaysia had seen an increase in investments...