Malaysia to enhance ties to Chinese e-commerce, AI

Malaysia plans to further enhance its ties with Chinese companies in e-commerce, digital economy and artificial intelligence to further accelerate the liberalization of trade and attract investment to maintain a robust growth momentum.

Seri Ong Ka Chuan, second minister of Malaysia's Ministry of International Trade and Industry, said as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has already signed free trade agreements with major trade partners, such as China, South Korea, Japan and Australia, developing digital economy and high-end industries can help Malaysia diversify its economy via a consumption and investment-fueled economic development model.

China is now Malaysia's top trading partner and the country remains China's biggest import source within the ASEAN bloc. Bilateral trade amounted to $54.3 billion in 2016, up 44.4 percent year-on-year, data from the Ministry of Commerce show.