MALAYSIA and China’s cooperation in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) has been around for a long time.
STI Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba (picture) said this is reinforced through the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between China and Malaysia which was signed on Oct 4, 2013.
Following this, the Tenggara MP noted that several agencies under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) have cooperated with China, including the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA), MIMOS Bhd, Malaysia Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI), Malaysian Venture Capital Management Bhd (MAVCAP), NanoMalaysia Bhd and the Malaysian Intergovernmental Cooperation Planning Through Mosti and China.
Dr Adham elaborated that MYSA — as the research and development leader in space — has established cooperation with China through an MoU signed on Nov 30, 2021.
He said the main focus of the cooperation is related to the field of space science, space technology and space applications in exploration.
Meanwhile, Dr Adham noted that MIMOS is cooperating with China to develop solutions and use cases involving 5G and artificial intelligence. The MoU was signed on Nov 27, 2020, between MIMOS, Maxis and Huawei Malaysia.
“MRANTI cooperates with China through Malaysia’s DroneTech development programme. It involves major drone companies such as DJI and XAG.
“So far, there are 10 local companies identified and will be matched through this programme,” he said in Dewan Rakyat today.
He was answering a question from Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing on China’s plans and cooperation in the form of technological innovation, smart agriculture technology, drone technology and low carbon green technology.
On MAVCAP, Dr Adham said the collaboration with China was in the form of industrial financing and so far, there are two forms of cooperation, namely Asia Greentech fund financing in green technology and collaboration with Fund Managers from China, namely Gobi Partners in drone technology.
NanoMalaysia, on the other hand, has promoted technology and graphene products to enter Malaysia and China.
Meanwhile, under the Malaysian Intergovernmental Cooperation Planning Through Mosti and China, NanoMalaysia is working with Nanopolis Suzhou focusing on promotion and nanotechnology industry services.
“This is to create an ecosystem for innovation and commercialisation of nanotechnology in Jiangsu, China.
“In addition, NanoMalaysia also welcomes cooperation in the field of EV components and hydrogen together with organisations, bodies, or companies of industry players from China,” he noted.