FIRST WORLD CHINESE ECONOMIC FORUM TO BE HELD IN KUALA LUMPUR

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- The first World Chinese Economic Forum,
comprising top industry players and leading businessmen from overseas Chinese
communities, will be held in Malaysia beginning November 16.

Chief Executive Officer of Asian Strategy & Leadership (ASLI) Dr Michael
Yeoh said the two-day forum would attract participants from Malaysia, United
States, United Kingdom, France, Pakistan, Switzerland, Singapore, Australia, New
Zealand, China and Indonesia.

Themed "Building Business Linkages, Charting New Frontiers", the forum will
be jointly organised by ASLI, Country Heights Group and Easy Pha-Max.

" The forum is also supported by four important overseas organisations,
namely the China Association of Mayors, the China Council for the Promotion of
International Trade, the China National Committee for Pacific Economic
Cooperation and the Chinese Professional and Businessman Association of
Victoria, Australia," Yeoh said during a media briefing today on the World
Chinese Economic Forum.

He said the World Chinese Economic Forum aims to learn from and better
understand the key forces driving China's economic growth and the nexus with the
Chinese Diaspora worldwide.

" It is also to promote Malaysia as a regional hub to link China with the
other countries such as the Middle East," Yeoh said, adding that Prime Minister
Najib Razak has given his support for the forum by sending a special message.

In his special message for the forum, Najib welcomed guests from China and
from countries around the world where the Chinese Diaspora has created vibrant
overseas Chinese communities, including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore,
Indonesia and nations across Europe.

Najib said by promoting closer business links among overseas Chinese in
Southeast Asia, Europe and Australia, it would help tap into the economic
resources of chinese entrepreneurs around the world.

Founder and Deputy Chairman of Country Heights Group, Lee Kim Yew, who is
also Joint Co-Chairman of the Malaysia-China Business Council, said the forum
will be a follow-up to Chinese President, Hu Jintao's visit to Malaysia from Nov
10.

" We have also extended an invitation to Malaysian companies across various
sectors to participate in the forum," Lee said during the media briefing
Tuesday.
-- BERNAMA