Malaysia: Malaysia's competitive labour costs, low land prices, and strong human resources have made the country investor-friendly, said Hong Kong-listed Far East Consortium International Ltd.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, its chairman and chief executive officer Tan Sri David Chiu said Malaysia's cultural similarities with Hong Kong also make it easier for Malaysian professionals to manage businesses and operations there. 'If you have a team in Malaysia (and) you want to send them to Hong Kong to run your business there, it is not at all difficult because of the similar culture (between Malaysia and Hong Kong),' he mentioned during a plenary session at the Think Business, Think Hong Kong symposium.

Chiu highlighted that the highly supportive local government community towards foreign investors has also aided his company's growth over three decades. 'We have an annual turnover of over RM3 billion a year. It all happened because Malaysians are very friendly to foreign investors,' he noted.

Today's symposium marked the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's (HKTDC) flagship overseas promotion in Kuala Lumpur, offering Malaysian business leaders direct access to government officials, investors, founders, innovators, and professional service providers. In a statement, the HKTDC mentioned that the one-day event gathered business leaders from Hong Kong and Malaysia for a day of dialogue, networking, business matching, and one-on-one consultations. 'Among them are over 200 government and business leaders, start-up entrepreneurs, and professional service providers from Hong Kong, marking a historic high,' it added.