Chinese food companies drew the interest of Malaysians as the 20th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) 2023 Roadshow (Malaysia) & Guangxi Export Fair kicked off here on Wednesday.

The expo, co-located with the 2023 Malaysian International Food & Beverage Trade Fair (MIFB), sees the participation of dozens of Chinese companies eager to introduce their products to both Malaysian and international consumers.

Among the range of products covered are meat and poultry, fish and seafood, dairy, drinks, confectionery and snacks, health food, packaging and food processing equipment, with many unique products from China's vast culinary diversity on display.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Tang Hai, general manager of Guangxi CAEXPO International Exhibition Group, said Chinese partners have joined hands with MIFB to promote friendly, closer cooperation in key areas, especially in the food industry between China and Malaysia.

"This roadshow is one of the important sideline economic and trade activities of the China-ASEAN Expo, which is an international state-level expo. It is the very first time the China-ASEAN Expo roadshow is held in Malaysia," he said, adding that the strong friendship between both countries continues to drive trade and growth that effectively leverages people-to-people and business-to-business ties.

The expo will run on July 12-14, preceding this year's 20th China-ASEAN Expo to be held in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Sept. 16-19.

Malaysian Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Chan Foong Hin urged participating countries and regions at the MIFB to take advantage of Malaysia's fertile lands, tropical climate, and rich cultural heritage, which have given rise to an array of unique food products and flavors that forms the basis of a multi-billion-dollar industry.

"Overall, Malaysia's agrifood industry holds so much promise. In 2022, agrifood activities as a whole contributed a substantial 173.9 billion ringgit (37.3 billion U.S. dollars) to our economy, or 11.5 percent of Malaysia's total GDP," he said.

"MIFB serves as a platform for showcasing the best of what Malaysia has to offer, as well as for discovering the latest trends and innovations in the international food and beverage industry. Together, we can drive growth, enhance competitiveness, and ensure food security for our nations and beyond," he added.

In line with this year's MIFB theme, "Accelerating ASEAN's Food Security and Sustainability," Chan also said the government is committed to developing a sustainable and technology-based agrifood sector to drive economic growth.

"In addition, we also focus on improving the well-being of the people as well as prioritizing food security and nutrition, taking into account the issues and challenges along the food supply chain ranging from agricultural inputs to food waste," he said.