In a bid to promote Malaysian palm oil to Chinese businesses and consumers, an official from the Southeast Asian country's plantation authority led a delegation to China from July 8 to 12.
During the trip, Chan Foong Hin, Deputy Minister of the Malaysian Ministry of Plantation and Commodities, visited the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing, where he witnessed the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
The delegation also explored new business opportunities in the palm oil sector and the broader agricultural produce industry.
Chan emphasized his hope to expand Malaysian companies' cooperation with China and to help Chinese consumers better appreciate the diverse uses of palm oil.
"The Malaysian Palm Oil Board's Shanghai branch is designed to specifically address the needs of the large Chinese market by offering customized products," said the deputy minister, referring to a Malaysian government agency dedicated to serving the country's palm oil industry.
He added that that the commodity has excellent potential for use in popular Chinese foods.
"For instance, red palm oil can be used in hot pot soup and as animal feed for hairy crabs, improving the flavor of the crab meat," Chan said.
As the world's second-largest palm oil producer and China's second-largest source for the commodity, Malaysia accounts for about 30 percent of global output, with the sector contributing 2.4 percent to the nation's GDP.
Malaysia has seen its market share grow as China's large consumer base exhibits increasing demand for products like synthetic detergents and cosmetics that use palm oil and its derivatives.
A growing number of Chinese companies and institutions have been partnering with their Malaysian counterparts to better integrate the palm oil supply chain and expand its applications.
"Our cooperation with Tsinghua University -- where we have tested our emissions [of] biodiesel produced from palm oil and tested it on heavy vehicles here in China -- based on this collaboration, the heavy vehicles that use biodiesel from Malaysia have shown a reduction in carbon emission. We definitely hope that we can use more palm oil or combination biodiesel as well as power generation where we can reduce the emission. And this is very important," said Datuk Parveez, director general of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.
Malaysian delegation visits China to boost cooperation on palm oil exports
Russian officials and scholars say they expect Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China to bring new progress in ties with China, pointing to the importance of educational exchanges and the close cooperation between the two sides when it comes to global issues.
Putin arrived in Beijing late on Tuesday night to begin a two-day state visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This marks President Putin's 25th visit to China, with the two presidents set to exchange views on bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest, according to a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The visit comes as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination, the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation and also sees the launch of events under the China-Russia Years of Education for 2026 and 2027.
Russia’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov pointed to the importance of these educational exchanges between the two sides.
"We believe the designation of 2026 and 2027 as the China-Russia Years of Education is a natural progression [in our ties]. We sincerely welcome the continued deepening of such exchanges and cooperation. We also welcome the growing attention from multiples sectors towards education in Russia and China, as this is mutually beneficial and reciprocal," Falkov said in a recent interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN).
In recent years, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has enjoyed sound, steady and in-depth development, with expanding cooperation in various fields, and the two sides have also made an important contribution to maintaining global strategic stability and upholding international fairness and justice, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday.
Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the HSE University in Moscow, expects the meeting between the two heads of state to further address these key issues.
"China and Russia have established a strategic partnership for 30 years. During this period, we have closely coordinated on the international stage and jointly responded to various crises and global political changes. We expect that in their talks, the leaders of the two countries will discuss issues related to the world order," he said.
Russian officials, scholars expect Putin visit to open up new chapter in relations with China
Russian officials, scholars expect Putin visit to open up new chapter in relations with China
