SHANGHAI, 15 May 2026 — YB Datuk Seri Dr. Noraini Ahmad, Minister of Plantation and Commodities, Malaysia, concluded a four-day programme of strategic industry engagements to China this week coordinated by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation between Malaysia and China across the palm oil value chain, with emphasis on downstream development, industrial applications, innovation, sustainability, and long-term commercial partnerships.

The programme included MPOF China 2026, MPOC’s flagship industry engagement programme, held in Shanghai alongside a series of strategic engagements with major industry players including COFCO Corporation, Yihai Kerry Arawana Food Group (Wilmar China), and Taiko Palm-Oleo (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK).

As part of the programme, YB Minister officiated MPOF China 2026 in Shanghai, where industry stakeholders discussed market developments, sustainability, innovation, and opportunities in palm oil applications across China’s food, oleochemical, and industrial sectors.

Speaking during the engagements, YB Datuk Seri Dr. Noraini Ahmad, Minister of Plantation and Commodities, Malaysia, highlighted that the engagement with China’s leading industry players reflected the growing importance of deeper industrial collaboration and long-term supply chain partnerships between both countries.

“China continues to play an important role in the global oils and fats industry, not only as a major market but also as a leading manufacturing and innovation hub. Malaysia sees strong opportunities to further strengthen collaboration with Chinese industry players across downstream processing, specialty applications, and sustainable supply chain development.”

The YB Minister added that closer engagement between Malaysian suppliers and Chinese manufacturers would help support innovation, product development, and new growth opportunities for palm-based products across high-growth sectors.

During discussions with COFCO Corporation, one of China’s largest state-owned agribusiness groups and a major importer and processor of palm oil, the dialogue centred on long-term supply cooperation, market developments, downstream applications, and sustainability collaboration to support the continued growth of Malaysian palm oil within China’s edible oils and food manufacturing sectors.

The YB Minister also participated in a strategic briefing at the Yihai Kerry Research and Development Center in Shanghai under Wilmar International, one of China’s leading facilities for oils, fats, and food innovation.

Discussions centred on specialty fats development, evolving consumer demand, food innovation, and opportunities to strengthen collaboration in palm-based applications for the China market.

YB Datuk Seri Dr. Noraini Ahmad noted that the continued expansion of specialty fats and food innovation in China presented important opportunities for closer collaboration between Malaysian palm oil suppliers and Chinese manufacturers, particularly in innovation-driven and application-specific segments.

The programme further included an engagement with Taiko Palm-Oleo (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd., one of China’s major palm-based oleochemical manufacturing facilities operated by KLK. Discussions focused on growing demand for palm-based oleochemicals in sectors such as personal care, home care, pharmaceuticals, food, and industrial manufacturing, as well as increasing sustainability and traceability requirements across global supply chains.

The YB Minister said the continued growth of downstream oleochemical manufacturing in China reflected expanding opportunities for Malaysia to strengthen its presence in industrial and higher-value downstream sectors while supporting the development of more integrated and resilient supply chains between both countries.

The programme reflects Malaysia’s continued commitment to strengthening long-term partnerships with China and expanding collaboration across innovation-driven and growth-oriented sectors. Through strategic engagement with key industry players, Malaysia aims to further reinforce its position as a reliable supplier of sustainable and value-added palm oil products to the China market.