JOHOR BAHRU: OCBC\u00a0and its associate company Bank of Ningbo recently partnered with the Johor state government, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Invest Johor and Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) to promote the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ)\u00a0during an investment engagement in Beijing, China.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bank said in a statement today that the high-level Johor government delegation, led by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, marked the first official visit to Beijing\u00a0since the establishment of the JS-SEZ.<\/p>\n
The delegation included state Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han, IRDA chief executive Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman, Johor deputy state secretary (development) Ahmad Nazir Mohd Nasir, Invest Johor chief executive officer Natazha Hariss, and MIDA director Mohamad Reduan Mohd Zabri.<\/p>\n
OCBC said the exclusive investment dialogue, themed ‘Unlocking Business Opportunities in the JS-SEZ’, was attended by about 100 participants, including senior representatives from leading Chinese corporates and enterprises.<\/p>\n
“The participating companies represented industries such as power, utilities, oil and gas, and telecommunications, including China Communication Construction and China Energy Engineering Corporation,” it said.<\/p>\n
According to the bank, Onn Hafiz and senior Johor officials shared the state\u2019s economic direction, trade priorities and cross-border growth strategies during the dialogue held at the China World Hotel in Beijing, and engaged directly with the attendees.<\/p>\n
Onn Hafiz expressed\u00a0optimism\u00a0that the dialogue marked an important step in strengthening economic ties between Johor and China, and noted strong interest from Chinese enterprises in the JS-SEZ.<\/p>\n
“The zone as a strategic platform built on cross-border connectivity, industrial depth and a pro-business ecosystem, supporting high-value sectors including technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, energy, logistics and aerospace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Besides that, the investments would create quality jobs, enable knowledge transfer and provide long-term value for the people of Johor, while offering strategic access to ASEAN,\u201d\u00a0he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, OCBC Bank (M) Bhd chief executive officer Tan Chor Sen said the banking group, which\u00a0co-hosted the event with Bank of Ningbo, highlighted Johor\u2019s strong investment performance, citing RM91.1 billion in approved investments secured in the first nine months of the year, which was the highest in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
According to him,\u00a0OCBC is well-positioned to support Chinese companies investing in JS-SEZ through its presence in Greater China, Singapore and Johor, as well as the OCBC Group\u2019s ecosystem and financial capabilities.<\/p>\n
“OCBC has committed RM15 billion in financing to businesses in Johor across sectors including data centres, manufacturing, healthcare, education, property and retail since 2024,\u201d\u00a0he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The statement said OCBC has a strong track record of assisting foreign businesses in establishing operations in Malaysia. OCBC Malaysia\u2019s first branch in Johor traces its history to 1917, with eight branches in the state out of 38 across Malaysia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bank of Ningbo\u00a0is also one of the 20 systematically important banks in China, with presence in key cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi and Wenzhou.<\/p>\n
Listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, it has built a strong reputation for financial stability, innovation, and regional influence. – Bernama\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n