Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2018, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is spearheading the participation of 24 Malaysian companies in the 124th China Import and Export (Canton) Fair, Phase 3 (Autumn Session) 2018 to promote the exports of Malaysia’s Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) such as food & beverages, health & wellness products and household items to China and beyond.

The event which takes place from 31 October – 4 November 2018 in Guangzhou, the city province of Guangdong is considered a strategic platform to brand the image of Malaysia as a reliable source for high quality products and services. The Malaysian companies at the event will be offering products such as sauces and paste, coconut based products, confectioneries, organic cereals and drinks, healthy snacks, durian based products, bird’s nest products, health drinks and supplements, cosmetics and skincare products, among others. In the last Canton Fair (Spring Session), Malaysian companies had received 5,400 trade enquiries and generated sales valued at RM457 million.

According to Mr. Ong Yew Chee, MATRADE’s Director of China and Northeast Asia Section, the objective of MATRADE’s participation in the Canton Fair is not only to expand Malaysia’s exports to China, but also to also leverage on the strong presence of foreign buyers at the event. "Guangdong Province is an important market, accounting for about one quarter of Malaysia’s trade with China in 2017. The initiative is one of the many efforts by MATRADE to capitalise on Guangdong’s well-established connectivity along the Maritime Silk Route as well as the border trade connection between Shenzhen, Macau and Hong Kong,” Mr. Ong said.

Guangdong’s significance to Malaysia can be reflected from its trade performance statistics. In 2017, Malaysia’s trade with Guangdong Province was valued at USD32.53 billion (RM137.35 billion) Malaysia’s exports reached USD17.33 billion (RM73.17 billion) while imports from Guangdong were valued at USD15.20 billion (RM64.18 billion). Guangdong’s major imports from Malaysia include electrical machinery products, mineral, fuel and oil, machinery, organic chemicals and plastics products.

To add value to the exhibition, MATRADE will be organising a series of B2B meetings for Malaysian companies with potential foreign buyers or business partners. The Malaysian companies will also be visiting supermarkets in Guangzhou to engage with potential distributors in China.

Since its inception in 1957, Canton Fair is organised by the China Foreign Trade Centre (CFTC) and hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and People’s Government of Guangdong Province. The trade fair is the biggest exhibition in China offering a wide range of product clusters, namely Food and Agricultural Products, Medical, Health and Beauty Care Products as well as Gift and Decoration Items.