PADANG BESAR, Feb 27 — Malaysia cannot afford to ignore China’s investment forays as it helped boost its economy, but will not become overly dependent on the republic, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong said.

He said of Malaysia’s total exports of RM935 billion, Asean topped the list at 30 per cent, followed by China (13.5 per cent), the US (9.5 per cent) and Japan (8.0 per cent).

"This shows that we are not too dependent on only one market. It means that Malaysia reduces the risk of being dependent on only one country,” he told reporters after meeting members of the Village Security and Development Committees (JKKK) from the Titi Tinggi state constituency here today.

Titi Tinggi Assemblyman Khaw Hock Kong, who is also Perlis MCA deputy chairman, was present.

Chua said the opposition was making a mockery of China’s investment forays by claiming that "Malaysia had handed over its sovereignty to the republic” or China was not confident of Malaysia’s economy.

"If they are really worried about China, why did the Opposition-controlled Penang and Selangor governments send investment missions to the republic?” he said, adding that China could not be ignored as would be home to more than 500 million middle-income earners in the next 20 to 30 years’ time.

On Malaysia’s export prospects this year, he said it would be more challenging to better last year’s double-digit growth. — Bernama