SHANGHAI, Nov 6 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will begin the third day of his working visit to Shanghai, China, with a Dialogue Session with Chinese investors organised by Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
Among the investors expected to participate are Chengwei Capital and NRL Capital. This session is part of Anwar’s ongoing efforts to attract potential investors to Malaysia to bolster the country’s economy.
Malaysian Ambassador to China, Datuk Norman Muhamad, shared that the main focus of Anwar’s four-day visit, which began on November 4, is to engage with investors. “The focus this time is the economy. A busy schedule awaits the Prime Minister, including meetings with companies that have the potential to invest in Malaysia,” he said during a press conference on the same day.
During his time in Shanghai, Anwar is scheduled to meet with several companies and participate in a roundtable discussion with 23 influential business leaders, often referred to as “captains of industry”. Following the visit to Shanghai, the Prime Minister will depart in the afternoon for Beijing, marking the next stop of his tour.
Anwar is accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong.
The visit is part of Anwar’s attendance at the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, a trade fair organised by the Chinese government. The event serves as a platform for countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative to showcase and export their goods and services to China.
China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years since 2009, with total trade valued at RM450.84 billion (US$98.80 billion) in 2023, accounting for 17.1% of Malaysia’s global trade. As of September 2024, total trade with China stood at RM355.15 billion (US$76.72 billion). The first half of 2024 saw 15 manufacturing projects implemented, attracting RM1.2 billion (US$252.5 million) in investments.
This marks Anwar’s third visit to China, following his first in March 2023 and a subsequent visit in September 2023. However, it is his first time in Shanghai. The Prime Minister’s four-day working visit will conclude in Beijing on November 7.
