GUANGZHOU: As economic and trade relations between Malaysia and China continue to deepen, Guangzhou, a key economic and industrial hub within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), presents significant opportunities for Malaysian businesses to strengthen engagement with China and expand their reach across the ASEAN market.
Datuk Dexter Lau, Executive Director of Kim Teck Cheong Consolidated Berhad, Executive Committee Member of the Federation of Public Listed Companies Berhad (FPLC), and President of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah, said Guangzhou’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, industrial investment, technological innovation and supply chain development complement Malaysia’s economic strengths and offer considerable potential for closer business ties.
He noted that Malaysia’s strategic geographical position provides businesses with access to the wider ASEAN market, while Chinese enterprises bring extensive expertise in industrial technology, manufacturing and capital investment.
By leveraging these complementary strengths, businesses from both countries can unlock greater cross-border investment and commercial opportunities through resource sharing and closer collaboration.
At the invitation of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government, Datuk Dexter Lau attended the 12th Guangzhou International Investment Annual Conference on 4 November.
During a dedicated session highlighting investment opportunities in Guangzhou for overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and businesses, he represented FPLC at the signing ceremony of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holdings Group and Dongling Holdings Group.
The LOI was signed alongside Zhang Jinquan, Deputy General Manager of Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holdings Group, and Lai Ningchang, Chairman of Dongling Holdings Group.
The initiative aims to strengthen business and investment ties between Guangzhou and Malaysia, while facilitating greater engagement with the wider ASEAN market.
Notably, the engagement was initiated directly by the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, which personally contacted Datuk Dexter Lau and invited him to represent FPLC in the signing.
This reflects the recognition and importance placed by the Chinese authorities on the collective strength, international standing and business potential of Malaysia’s publicly listed companies.
The signing also marks the first time FPLC has entered into this type of cooperation arrangement in China, representing an important milestone for the organisation.
It demonstrates FPLC’s role in bringing Malaysian publicly listed companies together to participate collectively in cross-border industrial and investment initiatives, while highlighting the substantial corporate, financial and industrial resources represented by its member companies.
Representing publicly listed companies across diverse industries, FPLC provides a platform for businesses to combine their capital resources, industrial capabilities, corporate networks and international market access.
This collective strength creates broader opportunities for cross-industry partnerships and strategic engagement, extending beyond the reach of individual companies.
The initiative is expected to strengthen business connections between Guangzhou enterprises and the Malaysian and wider ASEAN business communities, facilitate investment and industrial exchanges, and create new avenues for Guangzhou-based companies seeking to establish or expand their presence in Southeast Asia.
Both Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holdings Group and Dongling Holdings Group, which signed the LOI with FPLC, were among the enterprises specifically recommended by the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government Overseas Chinese Affairs Office.
Both groups have substantial industrial foundations, extensive business experience and established market presence, making them important contributors to Guangzhou’s efforts to strengthen international industrial cooperation.
Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holdings Group (GIIHG) has a manufacturing heritage spanning more than a century. It is a multinational industrial investment group with business interests in advanced manufacturing, modern industrial services and industrial investment.
With numerous subsidiaries and listed companies, the Group has a business presence in more than 160 countries and regions, supported by extensive capabilities in industrial integration, investment and international market development.
Dongling Holdings Group, established in 1994, is among the first enterprises recognised by Guangzhou as a headquarters enterprise. Its principal business segments comprise grain and oil, machinery and investment.
The Group has more than 50 subsidiaries, affiliated and equity-invested companies, with business operations spanning over 10 countries and regions. It has also been recognised through multiple listings among China’s Top 500 Private Enterprises and Top 500 Manufacturing Enterprises.
With complementary strengths in advanced manufacturing, industrial investment and diversified business operations, both groups offer considerable potential for collaboration with Malaysian businesses.
Their partnership with FPLC is expected to facilitate closer corporate connections, encourage industrial collaboration and open additional channels for Guangzhou enterprises seeking to establish or expand their presence in Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region.
The 12th Guangzhou International Investment Annual Conference is being held from 4 to 5 November 2026.
Since its inception in 2015, the annual conference has become an important international platform for attracting investment, connecting industrial resources and facilitating business partnerships and project development.
The dedicated session on investment in Guangzhou by overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and enterprises brought together government representatives, overseas Chinese business leaders and entrepreneurs from various countries and regions.
The programme featured investment promotion presentations, key project announcements, cooperation signings and business networking, further strengthening Guangzhou’s engagement with international markets.
The signing marks a new step towards closer economic and industrial ties between Malaysia and Guangzhou, laying the groundwork for stronger cross-border business connections, expanded access to ASEAN markets and future investment opportunities.
Also attending the event were MCCC Sabah Vice President, Yong Siew Lee, and Jiang Fan, Director of the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, among other distinguished representatives.
