Serving as the Country of Honor of the CAEXPO, Malaysia Is Constantly Advancing Its Cooperation with China

Written by Zhao Yali / Translated by Chen Zhiying

In recent years, Malaysia has deepened its economic and trade cooperation with China, taking advantages of its important geographical location and abundant resources and, expanded bilateral exchanges and cooperation through active participation in the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO). A mutually beneficial pattern featuring multi-level, multi-field, and multi-form exchange has taken shape in bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

After the 18th CAEXPO in 2021, the co-organizer of Malaysia confirmed that Malaysia will serve as the Country of Honor for the 19th CAEXPO. It will be the second time Malaysia to play such a role after the 8th session. Looking back, what did Malaysia gain from the CAEXPO? In the future, how would it it introduce domestic products to China and the world through this platform?

Malaysian enterprises gained at the CAEXPO

Tasting an authentic Malaysian “Musang King” Durian is on the wish lists of many durian lovers. Nowadays, it is easy for the Chinese people to buy one, thanks to the CAEXPO.

“Through the CAEXPO, we came to know some customers that helped increase the sales of products,” said Tan Yi Hong, a Malaysian durian exhibitor who has participated in the CAEXPO for many years. When Tan Yi Hong’s durian first entered the Chinese market, the sales volume was almost zero. Relying on the CAEXPO, however, the company’s businesses have grown in 2021. “We believe that this platform can bring greater business opportunities to Malaysian enterprises. Thank you for hosting the CAEXPO,” he said. 

The Malaysian government also attaches great importance to the CAEXPO and sends high-level delegations to participate  in every year, so as to promote high-level and in-depth cooperation between China and Malaysia. Malaysia is rich in natural resources and highly complementary to China’s economy. Under the promotion of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and the Belt and Road, economic and trade cooperation between both sides has made remarkable achievements.

In the past 17 times of CAEXPO, there were 2,160 Malaysian exhibitors who occupied a total of 2,996 booths to display food, handicrafts, daily necessities and corporate images, among which the bird’s nest, white coffee, and durian were the most popular.

During the 17th CAEXPO, the second China-Malaysia Economic and Trade Matchmaking held by Malaysia attracted more than 100 enterprise representatives from China and Malaysia engaged in food, health care, daily necessities and other industries. More than 50 online negotiations were held within 5 hours, about 20 intended cooperation were reached, and the intended signing money reached US$ 69.62 million.

As one of the representatives of the medical industry in Malaysia, TUD (Tongyudi), a manufacturer of blood collection tubes, once participated in the CAEXPO. Wang Zhongda, Sales Director of Tongyudi (Nanjing) Medical Apparatus and Instruments Co., Ltd., said: “At present, three medical products companies in the United States, Australia and Malaysia have obtained the qualification to sell blood collection tubes in China. Tongyudi is one of them.” Now, the company only has an annual sales volume of about RMB 2 million yuan in China. It has not fully utilized the Chinese market. Therefore, Tongyudi is seeking partners to expand sales channels through the CAEXPO.

Through the CAEXPO, the unique “Nanning channel”, the share of made-in-Malaysia goods in the Chinese market continues to grow. Bulk raw materials such as rubber, agricultural products, food, electronic products, automobiles and parts, handicrafts and other high-quality commodities with strong Malaysian characteristics are also very attractive to the Chinese market. Many Malaysian enterprises have regarded the CAEXPO as an important economic and trade event that they must participate in every year.

Malaysian people from all walks of life gave high praises to the CAEXPO

As an international economic and trade event jointly initiated by the leaders of China and ASEAN countries, the CAEXPO is an important gateway for Malaysian goods to enter the Chinese market and provides an important platform for Malaysian durian and other tropical fruits to enter the Chinese market, as evaluated by Sharimahton Mat Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation. The Malaysian government has listed the CAEXPO as a key supporting exhibition since the first time it was held, and support from the government has increased year by year.

In 2020, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the CAEXPO adopted the mode of “physical+online CAEXPO” for the first time. Malaysian enterprises took part actively, with 54 of them displayed their superior products in the online CAEXPO. In addition, they also introduced to customers products with Malaysian characteristics and suitable for the Chinese market such as bird’s nest, white coffee, biscuits, instant noodles, and honey through livestreaming shopping activities of the online CAEXPO

“I am impressed by the large number of visitors. It also makes me full of confidence in China-Malaysia bilateral relations,” said Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, Malaysian Ambassador to China, during his visit to the exhibition hall in the 17th CAEXPO. He also endorsed the Online CAEXPO and believed that this is not only the trend of consumption but also the trend of the development of the times.

The 18th CAEXPO in 2021 has also been spoken highly of by all walks of life in Malaysia. Ambassador Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin again took part in the CAEXPO. He said that the CAEXPO is an important platform for promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and Malaysia. Malaysian people are increasingly aware of the importance of MSMEs to engage in online activities, which could reduce their costs.

Ng Yih Pyng, Deputy President of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), said, “The ACCCIM organizes delegations to attend the CAEXPO every year, hoping to help enterprises expand cooperation through the platform.” He also said that he looks forward to China and ASEAN sharing opportunities and expanding businesses, so as to help stabilize and recover regional economy.

New situation, new look and new expectation!

In the face of the new situation such as the regular pandemic prevention and control, the 17th and 18th CAEXPO overcame many difficulties and was held successfully. It continued to provide a grand stage for China and ASEAN to go hand in hand and seek common development, highlighting the broad prospects and unlimited power of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

At the 17th CAEXPO, Ambassador Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin said, “I think the future of the CAEXPO will be more promising. Trade liberalization and removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers brought by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement (RCEP) will be of great benefit to the CAEXPO.”

It is worth mentioning that with the entry into force of RCEP, the platform role of CAEXPO is becoming more and more prominent. On the basis of improving the quality and efficiency of China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation, the function of the CAEXPO has been expanded from serving “10 + 1” mechanism into serving the RCEP.

At the opening ceremony of the 18th CAEXPO, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that all parties should unite and strive to create a favorable environment for strategic cooperation, jointly overcome the pandemic crisis and make each other’s cooperative relations stronger and more resilient. He also pointed out that China and ASEAN should make RCEP an important tool to promote ASEAN economic recovery. Cross-border “tourism bubbles” are also crucial to regional recovery.

In 2011, Malaysia served as the Country of Honor of the 8th CAEXPO for the first time. In 2022, it will play the same role again. 11 years later, what new look will Malaysia present in the CAEXPO is what the public wonders. In the previous session, Malaysia has made fruitful achievements, which not only promoted China-Malaysia economic and trade cooperation but also deepened bilateral people-to-people exchanges. With Malaysia as the Country of Honor again, China-Malaysia cooperation will usher in new achievements!