Photo / chinafair.org.cn

A promotion event for Malaysia, which is the Guest Country of Honor of the 18th China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT), was held in Kuala Lumpur on July 17.

The event was held by a joint organizing committee for CIFIT composed of the Association of Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) and the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC).

The two commerce associations will be responsible for 47 booths at the 18th CIFIT which is scheduled to be held Sept 8-11 in Xiamen, Fujian province.

Datuk Lee Chee Leong, deputy minister of Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry, presided over the promotion event, and called for enterprises from the two countries to enhance trade exchange, investment and cooperation in various sectors.

China and Malaysia drew up a cooperative five-year plan in economy and trade in 2013 that aims to increase their bilateral trade volume to $160 billion by 2017.

The two countries will hence promote cooperation and trade in agriculture, energy, mining, information technology, infrastructure, engineering, tourism, logistics and retailing, according to the agreement.

To highlight Malaysia’s growing presence in China’s international trade blueprint, the 18th CIFIT decided to make Malaysia the Country of Honor for 2014, which also marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Photo / chinafair.org.cn

Lee encouraged enterprises in China and Malaysia to implement a cooperative plan and achieve the goal. Lee said that enterprises in China and Malaysia, including nongovernmental commercial organizations, can play an important role to promote bilateral trade and investment.

He said the Malaysian enterprises should make use of the international platform, CIFIT exhibition hall for the Guest country of Honor, to promote Malaysian products, services and investment opportunities in the grand Chinese market.

Dato’ Lim Kok Cheong, president of ACCCIM, said that ACCCIM hopes that CIFIT, a fair participated in by more than 100 countries, can help Malaysian production and services reach an overseas market.