...more inside - Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute

MALAYSIA-CHINA BUSINESS COUNCIL
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin flanked by MCBC Joint Chairmen Tun Musa Hitam and Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew.
Tun Musa Hitam and Vice Mayor of Dalian officiating the Malaysia China Business and Investment Forum
in Dalian, China.
Tun Musa Hitam and CCPIT Vice Chairman Zhang Wei at the Joint
Meeting of the Malaysia China Business Council in Dalian, China.
Tun Musa Hitam, Dato Dr. Michael Yeoh and Tun Dzaiddin Abdullah.
Dato Dr. Michael Yeoh, Tun Musa Hitam and Mayor of Dalian Dr. Xia
Deren.
Tun Musa Hitam, Malaysian Joint Co-Chairman of the Malaysia-China Business
Council (MCBC), led the Malaysian Delegation to Dalian, China in November 2008
for the 5th Annual Joint Council Meeting and Malaysia-China Business Forum hosted
by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
Approximately 60 members of the council from both Malaysia and China attended
the 5th Annual Joint Council Meeting on 3rd November 2008 at Shangri-La Hotel,
Dalian. Among the Malaysian delegation who attended the meeting were Dato Dr.
Michael Yeoh - the Malaysian Joint Secretary-General of the MCBC and CEO of
Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), Datuk David Chua - Malaysian Joint
Secretary-General of the MCBC, Dato’ Abdul Majid Khan - Executive Chairman,
INS Bioscience Bhd, Datuk Yong Ah Pwi - President, Malaysia-China Chamber of
Commerce, Tan Sri Law Hiew Ding - Executive Chairman, Timber World Agencies
Sdn Bhd, Dato’ Abdul Halim Harun - Group MD / CEO, UMW Corporation Sdn
Bhd, Mr. Tan Koon Swan - Advisor, MCB Industries Sdn Bhd, Mr. Tan Yew Sing -
President, INTI International Education Group, Mr. Tan Kai Hee - Managing Director,
Hai-0 Enterprise Berhad, Mr. Zulkifly Zakaria - Executive Director, UMW Oil & Gas,
Mr. Adlan Ahmad - Executive Director, Iskandar Investment, Mr. Lee Yong Ming -
Director, MIDA, Shanghai, Ms Tan Mee-Wah - Executive Director, EPC Consulting
Ltd, Ms Tham Choy Lin - China Bureau Chief, Bernama (Malaysian National News
Agency), Ms Lau Mei San - Assistant Vice President - Communications, Iskandar
Investment, Mr. Too Kia Hong - Trade Commissioner, MATRADE Beijing, Ms Chong
Fei Shan - Head of the Malaysian MCBC Secretariat and Programme Director of
ASLI.
The Meeting was moderated by Datuk David Chua and co-chaired by the Hon.
Tun Musa and H.E. Mr. Zhang Wei, Vice Chairman of the CCPIT in a closed door
conference hall at Shangri-La Hotel, Dalian.
Tun Musa said in his welcome speech that this meeting was important as it
presented an opportunity for council members to discuss about the future direction
and further collaboration in the council. In the meeting, H.E. Mr. Zhang Wei also
delivered welcome remarks and he hoped that this meeting could bring Malaysians
to experience and see the development in Dalian. Subsequently, work and activities
carried out by the council were reviewed and presented by Dato Dr. Michael Yeoh
and Mr. Chen Zhengrong respectively. Both parties agreed to organize more future
activities to further promote closer bilateral relationship between China and Malaysia
especially in times of economic uncertainties and slowing global economies. There
was also an engaging discourse and exchanges of views on government policies and
strategic solutions that both countries would adopt in light of the rising pressure from
the global economic meltdown.
The Malaysia-China Business Forum 2008 with the theme “Business and Investment
Opportunities in Malaysia and China” was held in conjunction with the 5th Annual
Joint Council Meeting on the same day and was jointly organized by the China
Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Malaysia-China Business
Council. More than 130 delegates in the business community from Malaysia and
China attended the forum. Tun Musa Hitam, Joint Co-Chairman of the MCBC, Mr.
Zhang Wei, Vice Chairman of the CCPIT, Mr. Dai Yulin, Vice Mayor of the People’s
Government of Dalian and Member of the Standing Committee of the Dalian CPC
Committee, Mr. Li Bozhou, Chairman of the CCPIT Dalian Sub-council, Ms Yu Tao,
Vice Chairman of the CCPIT Dalian Sub-Council, Dato’ Dr. Michael Yeoh and Datuk
David Chua - Malaysian Joint Secretaries-General of the MCBC, were among the
eminent members and guests present at the forum.
At his opening speech, Tun Musa mentioned that greater synergy could be forged
through business partnership between business counterparts in both countries as
conducting business or investing in a foreign country could be a daunting experience
due to lack of knowledge and experience. Having a local partner in a foreign country
could help ease off the pain and headaches of conducting businesses in a foreign
country. Also, given the strong Chinese currency, Tun Musa urged Chinese Enterprises
to invest in Malaysia and likewise, Malaysian companies to take advantage of the
business opportunity presented in this forum.
Mr. Zhang Wei said in his speech that as a result of the growing bilateral relationship
between both countries, the bilateral trade between China and Malaysia had
increased by 25.8% to US$36.1bil from January to August 2008. Consequently,
China has become Malaysia’s 4th largest trade partner and exporter, and second
largest importer. In particular, palm oil, rubber and electronics industries have huge
markets in China. On the other hand, China’s machinery, light industry and textiles
are popular in Malaysia. By the end of 2007, Malaysia’s business investment in China
had amounted to US$390mil and it was the second largest in ASEAN countries. He
believed that the bilateral trade could be boosted further with the China-ASEAN FTA’s
final negotiation falling into place.
Mr. Adlan Ahmad, Executive Director of Iskandar Investment, and Mr. Lee Ming Yong,
Director of MIDA in Shanghai, were two invited Malaysian speakers at the forum.
While Mr. Adlan spoke about the investment opportunities in Iskandar Investment, the
Southern Development Corridor in the Johor State of Malaysia, Mr. Lee presented the
investment opportunities in Malaysia.
Earlier the MCBC held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Mines Resort City.
This was preceded by a Golf Tournament. The Minister of International Trade and
Industry Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin opened the AGM.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin presenting a Golf prize to Tun Dzaiddin
Abdullah whilst ASLI’s Ms Chong Fei Shan looks on.
Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. Gu, Datuk David Chua, Dato
Dr. Michael Yeoh, Tan Sri Khoo Kay Peng and Tan Sri Law Hieng Ding.
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MCBC Members visiting the Dalian Development Area.