From Nurhafizah Tan
BEIJING, March 7 (Bernama) -- China’s Guangdong province is looking to deepen economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, through closer industrial integration, expanded market channels and increased two-way investments.
Director General of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province, Zeng Jinze, said Southeast Asia has become Guangdong’s largest trading partner, with total trade between the two sides exceeding 1.3 trillion yuan last year, a record high. He noted that cooperation between Guangdong and Southeast Asia has expanded beyond traditional trade to include industrial collaboration, technological innovation and supply chain integration.
“Future cooperation should be based on complementarity and mutual benefit. Guangdong has strengths in manufacturing technology and innovation, while Southeast Asia offers abundant resources and a vast market,” he told a press conference during the Guangdong delegation’s open day on the sidelines of the Two Sessions conference, held here.
Zeng said Guangdong is ready to share technologies such as smart logistics, industrial robotics and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven manufacturing solutions to support industrial upgrading in Southeast Asian economies. High-quality agricultural products and raw materials from Southeast Asia could enter the Chinese market through Guangdong, helping strengthen regional industrial and supply chain integration, he added.
He said the province is also looking to expand cooperation in distribution and market access by connecting Guangdong enterprises with Southeast Asian e-commerce platforms, wholesalers, retailers and manufacturers.
"Guangdong also welcomes companies from Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, to invest and develop businesses in the province. We are willing to open up our innovation and market resources to partners from the region,” he continued.
He highlighted that the province will continue to enhance the competitiveness of its products through technological innovation, quality improvement and global brand development.
Zeng said the province is transitioning from being the “world’s factory” to becoming a global marketplace, reflecting the province’s efforts to promote high-quality development in manufacturing and China’s commitment to greater economic openness.
The province currently has all 31 major manufacturing industry categories and around 10 trillion-yuan industrial clusters, forming a comprehensive industrial ecosystem.
-- BERNAMA
