Русский
Russia and Malaysia have agreed to develop ties between special economic zones, according to Malaysian Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir. He was speaking at the fifth meeting of the Russian-Malaysian intergovernmental commission, which he co-chairs, in Vladivostok.
Kadir said that “both sides agreed to develop cooperation between special economic zones, with Malaysian representatives invited to the Fourth International SEZ Forum in Moscow, as well as joint participation in international advanced development territories in the Russian Far East.”
Malaysia has a history of developing joint venture special economic zones and has developed several successfully in Malaysia with partners from China and several ASEAN nations. These are typically light industrial areas that offer tax incentives and free trade bonded zones where component parts can be mixed and then manufactured into a finished product. In Malaysia’s case, its manufacturing sector is focused on the automotive, electrical and electronics (semiconductors) manufacturing, petroleum and chemicals, rubber and plastic products, and palm oil processing. Malaysian companies will be looking to JV with Russian companies in the semiconductor, automotive, and rubber (car tires) sectors and other electronic products.
Representatives from Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and the Eurasian Economic Union have held formal talks exploring trade policy, logistics, and agriculture cooperation.
Kadir also said that Russia and Malaysia were developing cooperation in trade and agriculture, with plans for broader access to national markets, mutual recognition of standards between the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) and its Malaysian equivalent, and establishment of a direct procurement mechanism to source products from each other’s markets.
Malaysia officially became a BRICS partner country on January 1, 2025, after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim submitted an expression of interest to join the bloc. This status allows Malaysia to engage with the economic group while balancing its foreign policy and trade relationships.
