By NST Business

KUALA LUMPUR: Total bilateral trade between Malaysia and China grew 20.6 per cent to RM290.65 billion last year from RM240.9 billion in 2016, said Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade).

Its export promotion and market access division director (China and Northeast Asia Section) Ong Yew Chee said total exports accounted for RM126.15 billion, up 28 per cent, while imports rose 15.5 per cent to RM164.50 billion.

"Based on the good performance of our bilateral trade in 2017, the government plans to focus more on further promoting local companies with high value-added technology products and services, such as in healthcare, environmental and energy saving, to the China market.

"We believe there are huge opportunities in these sectors, apart from the big-ticket items like electrical and electronics, machinery and chemicals as well as the food and beverages segment," he told a press conference here today in conjunction with the upcoming 5th China-South Asia Expo and 25th China Kunming Import Export Fair from June 14 to 20, 2018. - Bernama