By INS Contributors

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysian and Chinese doctoral scholars exchanged views with think-tank experts and academics on the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), regional geoeconomic changes, Malaysia-China industrial cooperation and youth talent development at the sixth edition of the Malaysia-China Doctoral Scholars Knowledge and Action Programme.

The programme, organised by the Belt & Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific (BRICAP) and hosted by the Talent, Youth and Education Committee of the Malaysia-China Trade & Economic Advancement Association, with support from the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), was held recently at the association’s premises.

A total of 41 Malaysian and Chinese doctoral scholars from the association’s Doctoral Development Institute participated in the programme, which was conducted entirely in a question-and-answer format.

The session was moderated by Li Ran, Secretary-General of the association’s Talent, Youth and Education Committee, senior lecturer and doctoral supervisor at the Institute of China Studies, Universiti Malaya.

More room for Hainan-ASEAN research

Tan Sri Ong Tee Keat, Chairman of BRICAP, former Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat and former Transport Minister, said the Hainan Free Trade Port should further raise its profile among Southeast Asian business communities while defining a clearer position in its cooperation and competition with other Chinese provinces and regions engaging ASEAN.

He encouraged young scholars to examine practical issues such as the business environment at Yangpu Port, customs clearance and inspection efficiency, as well as Hainan’s connectivity with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Such research, he said, could explore how Hainan could better tap opportunities under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and develop differentiated advantages. He added that systematic research on the Hainan Free Trade Port within Malaysian academia still had considerable room for development and was an area worthy of greater attention from doctoral scholars and young researchers.

Ong said developments in artificial intelligence, the digital economy and new energy were increasingly extending international industrial competition into the areas of technology and standards.

Malaysia and China, he said, could make greater use of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area and RCEP frameworks to deepen cooperation in emerging industries, while exploring greater participation in exchanges and the development of standards related to sustainable development.

Citing the Geely-Proton partnership, Ong said industrial cooperation should contribute to technology transfer and the strengthening of local capabilities, while expanding into areas including the new energy vehicle industry, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and data centres so that the benefits of cooperation could reach local businesses and talent.

He also encouraged Chinese students studying in Malaysia to expand their local social networks, engage more closely with the country’s different communities and develop a deeper understanding of Malaysian society, culture and industrial needs.

By applying their expertise in areas such as electric vehicles, the digital economy and artificial intelligence, he said, young researchers could help local partners address practical challenges and serve as a bridge for Malaysia-China cooperation.

Connecting research with industry needs

Ban Yandong, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysia-China Trade & Economic Advancement Association and Head of China Affairs at BRICAP, said the Malaysia-China Doctoral Scholars Knowledge and Action Programme was aimed at bringing doctoral scholars closer to government, think tanks, universities, businesses and society, while connecting their academic research with Malaysia-China industrial cooperation and local development needs.

He said Malaysia-China industrial cooperation should place greater emphasis on connecting technology and talent with the needs of local industries.

Companies expanding internationally, he added, need to develop a deeper understanding of local regulatory environments, industry standards, and social and cultural conditions, while strengthening their localisation capabilities through technological cooperation, talent development and supply-chain collaboration.

Ban said the association’s Doctoral Development Institute would explore an industry-academia-research collaboration model under which companies identify practical needs, doctoral scholars participate in research, universities provide academic support and the platform facilitates connections among the parties.

The model would encourage Malaysian and Chinese doctoral scholars to undertake joint research and field studies, promote the practical application of research findings, and provide talent and intellectual support for Malaysia’s industrial development and long-term Malaysia-China cooperation.

BRI moving towards high-quality development

Guo Xiaoqiong, Deputy Director and Research Fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, CASS, said that after more than a decade of development, the Belt and Road Initiative was moving further towards a stage of high-quality development.

As countries differ in their stages of development, cultural backgrounds and practical needs, she said greater emphasis should be placed on aligning development strategies and identifying areas of cooperation through industrial collaboration, technology transfer and capacity building.

Such efforts, she said, could jointly advance infrastructure connectivity, the alignment of rules and standards, and stronger people-to-people ties.

Responding to questions from doctoral scholars on the opportunities and challenges facing Chinese companies entering Central Asian, Eastern European and ASEAN markets, Guo said international energy trade, supply chains and regional market structures had undergone significant changes in recent years.

While new opportunities had emerged in some markets, businesses were also facing challenges including adjustments in trade policies, market protection measures and cross-border settlements.

She said Central Asian countries differed in market size, policy environment and industrial needs, making country-specific research and risk assessment particularly important.

China and ASEAN, meanwhile, have established a relatively strong foundation for cooperation and accumulated considerable experience in infrastructure development, trade and economic exchanges, and regulatory coordination.

Businesses entering different regions should therefore develop differentiated strategies based on local conditions and place greater emphasis on building long-term operational capabilities, she said.

Young scholars encouraged to build professional expertise

Xu Wenhong, Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, CASS, encouraged doctoral scholars to seize opportunities arising from China’s technological and industrial development, make effective use of advanced technologies and continue developing expertise in their respective research fields.

He said young scholars should leverage their cross-border study and research experience to provide professional support for Chinese companies expanding internationally.

Bunn Nagara, Senior Fellow of BRICAP, said cooperation among the world’s major economies was in their mutual interests as well as those of the wider international community.

He said zero-sum confrontation would adversely affect many economies, including those in ASEAN, while cooperation and constructive competition could enable countries to complement one another’s strengths and reduce the impact of protectionism on global industries.

Nagara said ASEAN countries formulate their external cooperation strategies according to their respective development needs and national interests, and their positions should not simply be characterised as “choosing sides”.

For countries in the region, he said, a more important consideration was whether international cooperation could deliver tangible development benefits and practical solutions to challenges such as food security, climate change and transnational crime.

Responding to a question on foreign investment in Malaysia, Nagara said overseas companies and professionals could contribute to Malaysia’s development through investment, joint ventures and technological cooperation while respecting local laws and cultural practices.

He said cooperation in the technology sector should place particular emphasis on technology transfer, local talent development and the establishment of long-term partnerships with Malaysian companies.

Li said doctoral scholars and young academics bring together diverse professional backgrounds and international perspectives.

Direct engagement with think tanks, experts and academics, he said, could help young researchers identify research directions from real-world issues and connect their academic expertise more closely with regional development and the needs of Malaysia-China cooperation.

Also present were Bi Zhaohui, Assistant Research Fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, CASS; Zhang Zheng, Executive Secretary of the Malaysia-China Trade & Economic Advancement Association; and Zhao Fei, Administrative Secretary of the association.