Kuala lumpur: Malaysia has launched the CIDB Holdings (CIDBH) Information Centre in Shanghai to strengthen standards compliance, transparency and trust in Malaysia-China trade relations, particularly within the construction sector. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the initiative reflected Malaysia’s commitment to ensuring transparent upstream certification for imported products, in line with national standards of quality and integrity.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia imported nearly RM300 billion worth of goods from China in 2024, almost one-fifth of the country’s total imports. With such scale, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid highlighted the importance of transparent upstream certification. The initiative enables Chinese partners to access the Malaysian market more efficiently and confidently, aligned with national standards of quality and integrity.
Ahmad Zahid emphasised that the initiative underscored the principle of building “trust through standards,” explaining that standards foster confidence by ensuring every product entering Malaysian homes, schools, and roads is safe and fit for use, verified through Certificates of Approval (COA) and Product Performance Standards (PPS).
The CIDBH Information Centre (Shanghai) will serve four main functions: providing technical guidance on Malaysian standards and specifications for manufacturers and suppliers; offering certification support for accurate and timely COA and PPS applications; facilitating industry engagement between Malaysian and Chinese stakeholders; and enabling digital onboarding to the ASSURE system for full traceability.
Since its launch in 2023, the ASSURE system has served 354 registered companies, both local and foreign, reflecting strong confidence in Malaysia’s regulatory system, which is now being extended to Shanghai. Ahmad Zahid noted that China produces over 30 per cent of the world’s construction materials, with Malaysia importing a significant share. Last year, bilateral trade exceeded US$212 billion, marking 16 years of China as Malaysia’s largest trading partner.
Ahmad Zahid added that Malaysia’s National Construction Policy 2030 committed the country to developing a digital and sustainable ecosystem, with the ASSURE system enabling Malaysia to test, trace, and verify construction products at their source. He elaborated that manufacturers complete compliance before shipment, while authorities monitor documentation in real time for faster clearance and lower risk.
The initiative aligns with Malaysia’s economic strategy to become a high-trust, high-value economy, demonstrating that Malaysia is not just a buyer but a partner in growth and a guardian of standards. Ahmad Zahid further noted that the effort supported the Joint Statement on building a High-Level Strategic Malaysia-China Community with a Shared Future, translating that vision into reality by reinforcing trust, quality, and sustainability in bilateral cooperation.
‘Expanding from Guangzhou to Shanghai marks scale and readiness: Guangzhou proved the concept, and Shanghai amplifies it. From here, we connect directly with major manufacturers, laboratories and logistics leaders,’ Ahmad Zahid said. He expressed appreciation to CIDB Holdings, Menara Asia, Shanghai Jianke, and the Malaysian and Chinese technical teams for their dedicated collaboration, describing their effort as a model of strategic cooperation anchored in trust and competence.
He added that Shanghai serves as a gateway for broader engagement with new regions and industries, as Malaysia aims to lead with standards rather than merely follow with imports. Plans are underway for the next CIDB Information Centre in Beijing, continuing the shared spirit of cooperation. “This is why today matters. Together, we are stepping forward in the global supply chain with clarity, confidence and capability,’ he concluded before officially launching the CIDBH Information Centre (Shanghai) in collaboration with Menara Asia Sdn Bhd.