Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015, KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese buyers can now find Malaysian products through www.zhongdamen.com, a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) online platform based in Henan Province, targeting 300 million consumers in the Western and Central China. This came as a result of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation’s (MATRADE) collaboration with zhongdamen.com.

The website was established by Henan Central China Logistic Co. Ltd, a China state-owned enterprise, and was launched by the Premier of China in Zhengzhou, Henan in April 2015. The collaboration had resulted in the creation of a virtual Malaysia Pavilion for Malaysian products on the website. Malaysia is the only Asian country being given the privilege to have the e-pavilion. Other pavilions in zhongdamen.com are dedicated to the USA, UK, New Zealand, Canada and Australia.

MATRADE has arranged a series of business matching meetings for Malaysian companies to promote and enhance their market access for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), food and beverages products on zhongdamen.com. To date, a total of 51 Malaysian products are available on the website’s Malaysia Pavilion. Among the major brands available are Beryl’s (chocolates), Claypot (sauces & pastes), Rasaku (coconut milk), Ina (instant noodles), Super (white coffee), Cowa (coconut water), Guarana (cappuccino) and Nu-Prep (Tongkat Ali supplements).

On July 7, 2015, one-on-one business meetings involving six Malaysian exporters were arranged by MATRADE with the sourcing agent for zhongdamen.com. The meeting ended with RM6.32 million potential online export sales for herbal products, sauces, fish crackers, curry paste, instant white coffee and durian products.

“MATRADE will continue to leverage on online platforms to enhance market access for Malaysian products in China. This initiative is in line with the strategy to enhance exports to China and it complements MATRADE’s eTRADE programme which is created to promote exports through e-marketplaces. This is one of our efforts to realise the Malaysia-China bilateral trade target of USD160 billion by 2017,” said Mr. Ong Yew Chee, MATRADE’s Director of Building Materials and Business Services Section.

China’s Internet Watch (China’s news source), reported that by 2015, e-commerce transactions in China are projected to hit USD540 billion, or approximately 10% of total retail transaction and by 2020, China’s e-commerce market is forecasted to be larger than those of the USA, Britain, Japan, Germany and France combined. As China is such a huge country with huge consumer market, e-commerce is an ideal platform to reach out to the consumers. Malaysian companies should leverage on this collaboration and expand their market not only in the 1st tier cities but also to the 2nd and 3rd tier cities in China.