KUCHING: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) knows who are the potential buyers from China for our Malaysian products.

Matrade has identified them and now wanted Malaysian companies to capitalise on this knowledge.

The corporation therefore urged interested participants to the Fifth China-Asean Expo 2008 (5th CAEXPO) to register their participation to Matrade early or latest by June 30, to allow Matrade ample time to get in touch with relevant buyers or even to recommend buyers to meet the Malaysian participants at the Expo.

Matrade North East Asia Asean and Australasia Section manager Suresh Kumar said the deadline for registration on July 15 had now been forwarded to June 30.

He said this at a function held at Merdeka Palace Hotel here yesterday to promote the expo to be held at the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the Republic of China from Oct 22 to 25.

Suresh pointed out that the expo would focus on regional economic and trade cooperation, and provide tremendous opportunities for the business communities throughout the world.

As far as Malaysia is concerned, the expo’s other objectives are to promote the China-Asean Free Trade Area (CAFTA) by 2010, to strive for mutual benefits and common prosperity between Malaysia and China and to enhance bilateral trade relation, investment and tourism between the two countries.

He pointed out that Malaysia was China’s seventh largest import source, and the 16th largest export destination in 2007.

The bilateral trade between China and Malaysia in 2007 reached US$34.3 billion, he said.

China’s import from Malaysia was valued at US$18.9 billion while China’s exports to Malaysia was US$15.4 billion last year – an increase of 27.53 per cent, he said, adding that the expo had played an important part in the growth of the Malaysian economy.

He said the 5th CAEXPO would showcase products like machinery and equipment, electrical appliances and electronics, information and communication technology (ICT), household appliances, building materials, arts and crafts, agricultural produces and food stuffs, palm oil and its related products and minerals.

There will be 3,000 booths including 2,500 standard indoor booths and 500 outdoor booths.

Malaysian companies will set up booths at the Commodities Pavilion at Hall 14 of the CAEXPO centre.

The expo will focus on five clusters, namely ICT, halal products and services, automotive, electrical and electronics and Malaysia brands. However Matrade may add in one or two more clusters, like the SMEs, once there was sufficient number of participants from that sector, Suresh said.

To encourage greater number of participants, Matrade charges only a nominal participation fee of RM1,000 each even though the normal rate (for other trade fairs) is RM6,500.

This was just one of the participant’s expenses, he said.

“Additional items, other than those provided in shell scheme, will have to be paid by the participating companies. Return air tickets, accommodation, food and local transportation as well as duties incurred on delivery of samples or sending of product samples and brochures to fair ground and back are to be borne by the participants,” he said.

Interested agencies/trade and industry associations should complete the participation forms and payment of participation fee of RM1,000 payable by cheque to ‘Ketua Eksekutif Matrade’.

Only completed forms with the payment of RM1,000 and copy of brochure will be processed. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in on-participation.

On incentives for participation, Suresh said companies could  benefit from Matrade market development grant, which is available to eligible companies. This is matching grant, where 50 per cent of the eligible costs will be refunded, he pointed out.

Apart from that, double tax deduction for the promotion of exports is also available to eligible companies, he said.

Costs borne by Matrade are rental of space (nine sq metres), basic items in shell scheme namely tables, chairs, display shelves and lightings as well as promotion, publicity and other enhancements, he said.

He said Malaysia’s top exports to China were electrical and electronic, palm oil, chemical crude rubber and rubber products while Malaysia’s top imports from China are electrical and electronic, machinery appliances and parts, chemicals, iron and steel and manufactures of metal products.

CAFTA created a large market of 1.8 billion consumers, regional gross domestic product of about US$2 trillion and total trade estimated at US$1.23 trillion.

“The removal of trade barriers between Asean and China will lower the cost of production through economies of scale, increase intra-regional trade and increase economic efficiency.

“With further liberalisation in China market, there will be more prospects for Malaysian goods to access the huge China market,” he said. In 2007, 119 Malaysian exhibitors at the 4th CAEXPO managed to secure total sales of RM10.5 million.

“The Malaysian participants received 4,045 enquiries including many on serious business matters,” he said.

The 4th CAEXPO on Oct 28 – 31, 2007 with over 3,400 booths for 1,908 exhibitors drew 8,181 exhibitors, up 3.6 per cent from that of the previous year and 33,480 trade visitors, an increase of eight per cent.

For detailed information, interested parties can reached Matrade Sarawak at 082-246780 or its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur at 03-62037255 (fax) or website at www.matrade.gov.my.