Farlim Group Kicks Off Asean Eco-City Project In China
Date：2015/02/09
![]()
BEIJING -- Property Developer Farlim Group (Malaysia) Bhd will spend at least US$15 billion to build the Asean International Eco-City in the northwest Shandong province of China.
Its chairman and chief executive officer, Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong said the 10.5 sq km eco-city would serve as a platform of mutual exchange between entrepreneurs and peoples of Asean and China.
He said 11 cross-boarders economic area projects were being planned for the city in Qihe county, 25km from Jinan, the capital of Shandong, and the development would involve companies from Asean and China.
"Once the projects are fully implemented, they are expected to generate business opportunities worth US$51 billion for both Asean and China by 2025," he said, adding the projects would create over 250,000 jobs.
The city will house an industrial exhibition centre; businesses ranging from wholesale and retail trading, digital docking, hardware/software communication construction industry, business services, tourism, medical and medical tourism to finance and insurance; higher education and training facilities, food safety and certification (including halal certification); and the China-Asean cultural exchange city.
Speaking to Bernama during the 2015 China-Asean New Year Celebration dinner here Thursday, Lim said the construction of the first of the three-phase Asean International Eco-City has began and it is expected to be completed in three years' time.
He said the first phase of the project would feature the Asean and China cultural and commercial centre, a hotel and spa, and an eco-friendly environment for the younger generation.
Lim said Farlim Group is capitalising on Malaysia's chairmanship of Asean this year to promote investment into China's market, while echoing the "Belt and Road" initiatives mooted by President Xi Jinping to enhance cooperation in trade, infrastructure and cultural exchange.
Present were Malaysian Ambassador to China Datuk Zainuddin Yahya, Malaysian Embassy in China deputy chief of mission John K. Samuel, Minister Counsellor for Economics at the Malaysian Embassy in China Ong Chong Yi, and Farlim Group group executive director Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Rawther.
In another development, Malaysian companies, Sime Darby Bhd and Perfect (China) Limited (Beijing Office) were adjudged among the winners of the 2014 Top 10 Successful Asean Entrepreneurs Venturing Into China" Awards.
China-Asean Business Council executive vice secretary-general Xu Ningning said the annual awards were aimed at encouraging enterprises to further enhance trade and investment between Asean and China.