News and Photos by Dr Low Kah Choon & Dr Chong Say Lee
XIAMEN, CHINA – Two academics from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) recently shared their expertise at a high-profile forum in Xiamen, China, which focused on China-Malaysia trade policy and the rapidly evolving cross-border e-commerce landscape.
The speakers were Dr Low Kah Choon, Senior Lecturer from the School of Government, and Dr Chong Say Lee, Part-Time Lecturer from UUM PACE and a UUM triple alumna.
Held on the morning of 4 March 2026 at the Xiamen Liaison Headquarters of Overseas Chinese Communities, the forum was hosted by the International One Belt One Road Infrastructure Chamber of Commerce. It brought together government officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs to explore new avenues for bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and Malaysia, with particular emphasis on cross-border e-commerce, talent development and market expansion strategies.
In his opening remarks, Mr Zheng Peizhi, President of the International One Belt One Road Infrastructure Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the significance of the forum, noting that the continued advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative has ushered in what he described as a “golden period” for China-Malaysia economic and trade collaboration.
He identified cross-border e-commerce and human capital empowerment as key drivers of future bilateral cooperation, while also underscoring Xiamen’s growing role as a strategic platform for resource matching between Chinese and Malaysian enterprises.
During the forum, Dr Chong Say Lee and Dr Low Kah Choon delivered a joint presentation, offering informed perspectives on several key areas, including China-Malaysia trade policy, the e-commerce ecosystem, human resource development, halal trade, and cross-border resource integration.
The two UUM academics also engaged actively with participants, addressing questions from business leaders and entrepreneurs while offering practical insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by enterprises seeking to expand internationally.
The forum concluded with the presentation of appreciation certificates to both speakers by Mr Zheng Peizhi, followed by a group photography session and informal networking discussions aimed at fostering future collaboration.
Participants widely agreed that the Malaysian e-commerce market offers significant potential and remains highly complementary to China’s industrial value chain. Cross-border e-commerce and talent development were viewed as strategic enablers in advancing mutually beneficial trade outcomes between the two countries.
The forum was described by organisers as practical, efficient, and fruitful, serving as a valuable platform for knowledge exchange while injecting fresh momentum into overseas business expansion and efforts to strengthen international competitiveness.
The organisers also expressed their intention to continue developing similar international engagement platforms to help more enterprises seize emerging opportunities and further elevate China-Malaysia economic and trade cooperation.
The participation of Dr Low Kah Choon and Dr Chong Say Lee reflected Universiti Utara Malaysia’s continued commitment to thought leadership and international engagement, particularly within the increasingly important China-Malaysia economic corridor.
Their contributions not only enhanced the forum’s intellectual depth and practical relevance, but also reinforced UUM’s standing as a university with expertise in governance, trade, business and cross-border economic development.
The engagement also provided valuable reciprocal benefits for the university. Interactions with industry stakeholders and government representatives offered real-world insights that can inform curriculum development, ensuring that academic programmes remain relevant, industry-responsive and aligned with contemporary developments in areas such as cross-border commerce and the Belt and Road Initiative.
In addition, the networking opportunities forged during the forum have the potential to pave the way for future international collaborations, research partnerships and student mobility initiatives, further strengthening UUM’s role in supporting China-Malaysia economic and educational cooperation.
The event also received coverage in several local digital news platforms and specialised business media channels in China, helping to further raise the profile of both UUM and the Malaysian perspective on bilateral trade and e-commerce.
Source: https://www.52hrtt.com/ar/n/w/info/ifm202603041406431768692 [Chinese Headlines]
Source: https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1858745331825116711&wfr=spider&for=pc [Chinese Entrepreneur Channel]
