Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security YB Datuk Chan Foong Hin urged Sabah businesses not to limit themselves to the local market, but to actively “venture out” to explore new markets, seek new partners and pursue new business opportunities.
Datuk Chan Foong Hin said this when receiving a courtesy visit from the organising committee members of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah Guangzhou Industrial Visit and Networking Dinner recently.
He said that amid the uncertainties in the current economic environment, businesses are facing multiple challenges, including rising costs, intensifying market competition and changing consumer demand. As such, businesses need to take the initiative to seek new breakthroughs.
He noted that venturing beyond Sabah to explore and engage with overseas markets and other markets with development potential would not only help businesses gain a better understanding of market trends, but also allow them to connect directly with potential business partners and identify new opportunities for collaboration.
Those present at the courtesy visit included Vice President cum Organising Committee Chairman Louis Su, Vice President cum Organising Committee Deputy Chairman Jacky Chin, WEC Treasurer cum Organising Committee Secretary Mae Chai, WEC Deputy Treasurer cum Organising Committee Treasurer Fannie Chai, as well as Koperasi Directors cum Organising Committee Members Wong Gha Ho and Ronnie Chong.
Organising Committee Chairman Louis Su said the Guangzhou industrial visit is not merely a conventional corporate visit, but a comprehensive business and economic programme combining industrial visits, knowledge exchange, investment promotion, business matching and networking, providing entrepreneurs with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese market and industry trends from different perspectives within just a few days.
He said the programme, scheduled from November 11 to 14, is not simply about “seeing”, but also about learning, engaging and connecting, enabling entrepreneurs to turn what they see and learn into tangible business opportunities.
He said the programme on November 12 will include visits to leading modern enterprises such as Tencent WeChat, MINISO and Vipshop, allowing Sabah businesses to gain insights into the experiences of Chinese companies in areas such as branding, digital operations, market expansion and business models.
On the morning of November 13, the delegation will take part in a Greater Bay Area study session, with proposed visits to Sun Yat-sen University, Jinan University or the Guangzhou Academy of Socialism, where experts will be invited to share insights on overseas Chinese-related topics and artificial intelligence (AI), enabling entrepreneurs to gain a better understanding of AI and emerging industry trends.
He said the Sabah Investment Environment Promotion and Malaysia-China (Guangzhou) Business Matching Session scheduled for the afternoon of November 13 would be the most direct business-matching component of the programme.
Businesses will have the opportunity to engage Chinese companies in targeted discussions, particularly in areas such as new energy, modern agriculture and supply chains, and explore potential partnerships.
“For entrepreneurs, the true value is not how many activities we attend, but whether, after the programme, we have more potential partners to stay in contact with, whether we have discovered a new market, or even secured a new business opportunity.”Louis Su also highlighted the Malaysia-China Networking Dinner on the evening of November 13 as another key component of the programme, with local Chinese enterprises and business representatives invited to participate and foster closer exchanges among governments, chambers of commerce and businesses from both sides.
He said many business collaborations begin with an introduction and a conversation. Therefore, entrepreneurs looking to expand into the Chinese market should visit the market in person, understand its dynamics, meet potential partners and build mutual trust.
He said another important objective of the programme is to bring Sabah actively into the Chinese market.
“We are not only going to Guangzhou to look for business opportunities. We also want to bring Sabah to the Chinese market and let Chinese businesses know what resources, industries and investment opportunities Sabah has to offer.”He believes that amid the challenges facing the business environment, Sabah businesses need to seek new avenues for growth. The Guangzhou programme provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to step out of Sabah, enter the Greater Bay Area, connect with Chinese businesses and extend their business networks beyond the ASEAN market.
Louis Su called on entrepreneurs interested in expanding into China, finding industry partners, developing new sales channels or exploring investment opportunities to participate actively and make full use of the networking platform.
The Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah also welcomes both members and non-members interested in expanding into the Chinese market, seeking industry partnerships and exploring business opportunities to participate in the Guangzhou Industrial Visit and Business Networking Dinner.
For more information or to find out how to participate, please contact the MCCC Sabah Secretariat at 017-211 1725.
