Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) has lined up four MOUs to be signed with China, all of which are on the high-tech and trade sectors, at the end of this month. (The Edge filepix by Suhaimi Yusuf)

KUALA LUMPUR (May 27): Malaysia and China will sign several memoranda of understandings (MOUs) to further strengthen trade and bilateral relations, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of diplomacy between both nations.

Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) has lined up four MOUs to be signed with China, all of which are on the high-tech and trade sectors, at the end of this month.

“Several other ministries will also be involved in the MOUs with China.

“Detailed information will be provided later, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in attendance to witness the signing of the MOUs at the end of May,” he told Bernama after an interview on Bernama Radio’s “Malaysia-China Golden Jubilee” programme here on Monday.

Malaysia officially established diplomatic relations with China on May 31, 1974, thus becoming the first Asean country to extend a hand of friendship to Beijing.

Tengku Zafrul said Chinese Premier Li Qiang is scheduled to visit Malaysia at the end of this month to mark five decades of ties between both countries, which will boost confidence in Chinese and local investors to increase investments, in addition to gaining wider market access to both countries.

He said that China is Malaysia’s largest trading partner and a major foreign direct investment (FDI) source.

“In 2023, China was among the five largest sources of foreign investment into Malaysia, with a total investment worth US$3.15 billion (RM14.83 billion).

“The sectors that are the focus of investors from China are mostly in the electrical and electronics sector, machinery and equipment, as well as chemicals and chemical products,” said the minister.

Tengku Zafrul noted that total trade between Malaysia and China between January and April this year increased 5.9% to RM151.06 billion, compared to the same period last year.

“The approved investment report for the first quarter of 2024 (1Q2024) is expected to be issued by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) in June 2024.

“I am optimistic that the investment value for the period will show positive data, in line with growth in bilateral trade, and economic relations that are getting closer,” he added.