Chai fielding questions at the press conference

KUALA LUMPUR: China believes the controversial Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) will not affect their investment and trading in the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP).

Its ambassador to Malaysia, Datuk Chai Xi, said the Malaysian government had given the assurance that based on studies by professionals and experts, the plant's production will not affect the environment.

He said this at a press conference at his residence here when asked whether China was aware and concerned about the plant while investing at the MCKIP, which is located near the LAMP project.

The LAMP is located close to the proposed 607-hectare MCKIP which is also sited at Gebeng town in Kuantan, Pahang, and within the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).

In November last year, Lynas received court permission to begin operating a controversial processing plant but with specific conditions attached.

Reports said the MCKIP is expected to attract nearly RM7bil in investments and create 5,500 new jobs for the local populace by 2020.

Investments are expected to come from domestic, Chinese and other leading international players, particularly from the Asean region to the area located five kilometres from Kuantan Port.

MCKIP represents a sister-park to the China-Malaysia Qingzhou Industrial Park (CMQIP) in Qingzhou, China covering 5,467.5ha, which was jointly launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, on April 1 last year.

Chai said the visit by high-level Chinese delegates next month would deepen mutual understanding, strengthen friendly ties, upgrade cooperation and step up common development.

Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Jia Qinglin, is visiting Malaysia from Feb 4 to 7 at the invitation of the Malaysian government.

"He will jointly launch the MCKIP with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Feb 5," Chai said.

He added that the Chinese hoped that this visit will upgrade Malaysia-China strategic cooperative relations to a new height, bring the sister industrial parks into play and boost their complementary trade and investment. - Bernama.

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