KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — According to the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Malaysia has recorded overall export sales worth RM625.42 million at the recently concluded 20th China – Asean Expo (Caexpo) 2023 in Nanning, China.
It said the recorded export sales were in the food and beverage, healthcare and wellness, lifestyle products and services sectors.
107 Malaysian companies and nine other government agencies participated, with 116 booths at the Caexpo 2023 held from September 16 to September 19.
Matrade chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz said China, Malaysia’s largest trading partner, remained one of Malaysian companies’ most important export markets.
“As a result of Matrade’s strategies and proactive efforts, including in arranging impactful activities and business meetings, Malaysia’s participation in Caexpo has secured significant value of export sales and business partnerships,” he said in a statement today.
The continued sourcing by the Chinese buyers demonstrated the quality, resilience and competitiveness of Malaysian products and services, rolling on the growth momentum of the trade dealings between Malaysia and China at Caexpo for the past 20 years.
“Matrade takes pride in its three decades of championing global excellence to continue focusing on enhancing the close engagement with the Chinese business communities in connecting them with Malaysian capable exporters to drive exports to China,” Mohd Mustafa added.
From 2004 to 2022, Malaysia’s trade with China expanded almost sixfold.
China was ranked as Malaysia’s fourth largest trading partner in 2004 and later moved up to be Malaysia’s largest trading partner in 2009 for 14 consecutive years, with an average annual growth of 12 per cent.
China also became Malaysia’s second-largest export market in 2022 and Malaysia’s largest import source since 2011.
— Bernama