KUALA LUMPUR: China’s decelerating growth may be a hard landing for exporters, but trade will continue to grow with hard work, says Minister of International Trade and Industry (Miti) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. He said China, the foremost trade partner for 120 countries in the world, grew by 7.4 per cent last year, and is very competitive to all exporters vying to gain a market share in that country. “As we work hard to promote our exports, many others will come up with their own initiatives to gain from the Chinese market. “As such, we hope our people will be more aggressive and continue to do well in the big China market,” he added. Mustapa also expressed the view that Malaysia can overcome the turbulence in the global economy as it is more diversified, with China making up only 13 per cent of exports, while having other export partners as Northeast Asia, the US , Japan, South Korea and the European Union. Speaking to reporters at the launch of the “My Asean...

Malaysia’s total trade went up by 5.9 per cent to RM1.5 trillion last year from RM1.4 trillion in 2013. Deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the export value increased by 6.4 per cent from RM46.1 billion to RM766.1 billion, while import value also increased by 5.3 per cent from RM34.3 billion to RM683 billion. “Strong export growth has contributed to the trade surplus for 17th consecutive year. The trade surplus for 2014 indicated an increase of 16.6 per cent, an improvement compared to negative growth (-22.8 per cent) recorded in 2012 and (-25.7 per cent) in 2013. “The manufacturing sector has contributed RM587.3 billion, an increase of 7.1 per cent from RM39.1 billion,” he said when addressing industry players in the state during a meet the people session on Thursday. Muhyiddin said a total of 3,966 projects were approved in the country with a capital investment worth RM259.9 billion from 2010 to September 2014, adding these investment projects had...

GEORGE TOWN (Feb 28): Penang moved up one notch to the third spot with the highest number of approved investments in the country last year, after Johor and Sarawak. Penang approved local and foreign investments totalling RM8.2 billion in 2014, a 109% jump from the previous year. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state approved foreign investments amounting to RM5.1 billion and RM3.04 billion in  domestic investments last year. “In 2013, our total proposed capital investment was RM3.9 billion and we were ranked No. 4,” he told a news conference to announce the investment figures released by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) yesterday. “This (2014) is good results, although it is more important that we receive quality investments. “It should not be typical industries but those that can add value, be high-tech and are knowledge intensive,” Lim said. He added that the investments in Penang were widely distributed between local and foreign businesses...

KOTA BAHARU, Kelantan state, Malaysia March 1 (NNN-Bernama) — The 21st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Retreat reaches its peak when all economic ministers of ASEAN and the organisation secretary General, Le Luong Minh, meet Sunday. The last day of the retreat kick start with a briefing by the chairman of ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Dr Mohd Munir Abdul Majid on the feedback from the private sector on the ASEAN Economic Community. Mohd Munir would also submit seven proposals, covering eight sectors, to be implemented before the AEC kickoff to smoothen the region’s integration as a single economy as well as previous outstanding proposals such as ASEAN business card and ASEAN lane at all international entry points. Among the proposals that will be submitted are the setting up of the ASEAN Youth Entrepreneur Association and the ASEAN Women Entrepreneur Association to address the needs of two of the major groups in the region’s demographic structure. Also to be...

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Mei (Bernama) — Ketua Pengarah Pertubuhan Perdagangan Dunia (WTO) Roberto Azevedo yakin Rundingan Doha 2008 dapat dimuktamadkan tidak lama lagi memandangkan negara anggota mula menunjukkan tanda-tanda penerimaan agenda yang dibincangkan. Tanpa menyatakan sasaran khusus, beliau berkata kini negara anggota lebih bersikap terbuka antara satu sama lain berbanding dua tahun lalu. “Semasa saya menyertai organisasi ini dua tahun lepas, tidak ada langsung perbualan mengenai semua ini. Sekarang mereka telah keluar dari zon selesa dan dalam mod mencari penyelesaian. “Ya, memang sangat sukar namun saya percaya ia boleh dicapai dan saya rasa kami kini dalam anjakan objektif daripada mendapatkan ‘perjanjian terbaik’ kepada ‘yang boleh’,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan syarahan ‘Faedah dan Kepentingan WTO kepada Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Pembangunan Anggota’, di sini hari ini. Syarahan bersempena lawatan kerja dua hari beliau ke Malaysia...