80 million muslims in China alone,Halal products a hit at China expo

Halal products a hit at China expo
By Chan Cheng Tuan Published: 2008/10/24


NANNING: Malaysia's halal products have received positive response from potential buyers at the 5th China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO) which was launched here on Wednesday. Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation deputy chief executive officer (promotion) Dr Wong Lai Sum said there had been many queries from potential buyers including the Walmart chain and French companies.

"It is not only for Walmart's China market but for the Asia-Pacific region," she told reporters at the expo.

Wong said CAEXPO was a good platform for Malaysia to explain and promote its halal products, adding that there was a big global market for such products.

Malaysia's export of halal products is valued at US$3.32 billion (RM11.85 billion) a year. Wong said this was only a drop in the ocean as the global trade in halal products amounted to US$2.1 trillion (RM7.5 trillion)



Of the nearly 100 Malaysian companies at CAEXPO, 27 are dealing with halal products comprising consumables such as confectionery and non-consumables including cosmetics.

Wong said Malaysia wanted to show that the country's halal standard was not only about adherence to religious requirements but was also based on strict hygienic practices.

"We want to show that halal products are not only for Muslims but they are for everybody as they are safe from the source to the delivery," she said.

Wong said Chinese and Malaysian firms could have joint ventures and collaborate in terms of the halal certification. For instance, China could export its product with Malaysian halal certification.

There is a huge market in China for halal products as more than 80 million of its 1.3 billion population are Muslims.

Wong said apart from the halal products, there had also been encouraging response to the Multimedia Super Corridor.

Malaysia is promoting Cyberjaya and the MSC at the expo. Among others, companies are told of the benefits of being accorded MSC status.

"There have been many queries and the Chinese are impressed with what we have achieved so far," said Wong.

She said the Chinese were interested to enter Malaysian market as it was a way for them to penetrate the Asean and West Asian markets.

Wong also expressed satisfaction with the response to the Malaysian pavilion so far. Since the launch of the expo on Wednesday, about 1,000 people had visited the various booths at the pavilion daily.

CAEXPO is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of China and its Asean counterparts as well as the Asean Secretariat, and organised by the government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.

Held annually in Nanning, it is aimed at spurring the setting up of the China-Asean Free Trade Area and serving as a platform for China and Asean to enhance their bilateral economic and trading cooperation.