Import and export trade between Gansu and Malaysia doubles

From January to October, 2013, 148 enterprises in Gansu province traded with Malaysia, leading to $429 million in import and export, a year-on-year growth of 95.84 percent. Exports accounted for $427 million, increasing 1.75 times, according to Lanzhou customs.

Ma Mingliang, professor of the Institute of Islamic Culture of Northwest University for Nationalities, said in an interview that Gansu’s main import and export commodities to Malaysia were handmade knitwear, glazed ceramic products and halal food industry items, which have the biggest development potential. Linxiazhou in Gansu is a major gathering place for Chinese Muslims, where the Muslim population accounts for 57 percent of the total population.

A few days ago, Ma published the first Report on Halal Food Safety at the Summit Forum of the International Halal Industry in China. He said, the current global trade volume of halal food and supplies reached $2.1 trillion, but China only accounted for 0.1 percent of the total; thus the market potential is tremendous.

Ma also said: "Muslim snacks in Gansu province are famous at home and abroad. Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles with beef are a good example." Although the noodles are "famous and world-renowned," they have failed to become a scaled and industrialized industry. Domestic halal industry enterprises must create their own brands and actively develop new halal products and high value-added products. Malaysia Kelantan Agriculture Commission Chairman Manavi was surprised during his visit to inspect agricultural food and halal food in Linxia. He said that the halal industry in Gansu province had a good foundation. Gansu province and Malaysia Kelantan would establish the Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, culture, tourism and other industries.