BUKIT MERTAJAM, April 30 — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) aims to enlist 150 Malaysian companies to participate in the China-Asean Expo 2024 (CAEXPO 2024) in Nanning, China, which runs from September 24-28, 2024.
Matrade director of China and North-east Asia and Asean and Oceania Mazlan Harun said participation in the expo is crucial due to Malaysia’s status as China’s largest import source among Asean nations, surpassing Vietnam and Indonesia.
This underscores the significant potential of the Chinese market for Malaysian enterprises, he said.
“This year, our participation will be especially significant as we have been invited to be the Country of Honour for the 21st edition of CAEXPO, and the Malaysia pavilion will be given special highlights.
“We will feature a significantly larger pavilion, providing ample space for Malaysian companies to showcase a wider range of their offerings,” Mazlan said in his keynote address at the CAEXPO 2024 Promotional Conference in Penang today.
He noted that Matrade offers more than just booth spaces for companies as they will also have the opportunity to network with quality buyers through pre-arranged business matching organised in collaboration with the CAEXPO Secretariat and China Construction Bank, supported by the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia.
Mazlan highlighted that over the past 20 editions, CAEXPO has seen the participation of more than 2,000 Malaysian companies, particularly small and medium enterprises, generating over RM6.3 billion in sales, with 1.3 million visitors.
He said Malaysia’s participation presents a unique opportunity to showcase the country’s best products and services to China’s vast and dynamic market of over a billion people, with domestic consumption totalling 47.15 trillion yuan (RM31 trillion).
Furthermore, he noted that Malaysian companies’ participation in CAEXPO 2024 will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations and would contribute to its ongoing success.
Mazlan urged Malaysian businesses to leverage the vast Chinese market by showcasing their brands and connecting with key players during CAEXPO 2024.
He also noted that the Malaysia pavilion recorded RM625.42 million in sales last year, with seven memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed for further sales, and 107 companies, along with nine government ministries and agencies, joined Matrade at CAEXPO.
Malaysia’s trade with China remained significant in the first quarter of 2024, with total trade exceeding RM112 billion, a 3.3 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Also in attendance at the event were the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Penang, Zhou Youbin, and CAEXPO secretariat deputy secretary-general Liang Yiguang. — Bernama
