A bird's nest processing base is expected to be completed in the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park in June in the coastal city of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Dato Ong Chong Yi, president of China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (Guangxi) Development Co Ltd, said companies from both China and Malaysia will start processing bird's nest after relevant departments from China and Malaysia decide on the time frame.

Malaysia agreed to export raw bird's nests to China when Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak visited the country in November, Ong said.

"But when the first batch of Malaysia's raw bird's nest will be shipped to the Chinese mainland is still under discussion," he added.

"Qinzhou might become the first port that Malaysia exports its raw bird's nest to."

Ong said the bird's nest processing base will help Malaysia further expand sales in the vast mainland market. The base, which cost more than $100 million, covers a construction floor space of more than 129,500 square meters.

As China purchases more than 90 percent of Malaysia's bird's nests, Ong, once a trade official in the Embassy of Malaysia in China, sees great potential in the project.

Halal food center

Meanwhile, a halal food center is also being constructed in the industrial park.

"The halal food industrial park will help Malaysian food companies increase their sales of halal food in the mainland market and help mainland food companies to expand their presence in the Muslim world, as well," Ong said.

Malaysia's standard for halal food is highly recognized around the world, Ong added.

Gao Pu, executive deputy director of China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee, said the bird's nest processing base is expected to reach annual industrial output valued of$2.9 billion.

"Construction of the two special projects (bird's nest and halal food) in the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park demonstrates the close economic cooperation between China and Malaysia," Gao said.

In addition to attracting Sino-foreign investment, the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park is expected to become a model zone for economic cooperation between China and Malaysia and even the entire Associations of Southeast Asian Nations, playing an increasingly important role in Guangxi's economic development, Gao said.

According to Gao, China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park has attracted more than 50 projects with a total investment of more than$4.1 billion so far.

Most of the projects have involved new and high-tech industries, pharmaceuticals, new energy, information, chemical, finance, education and food.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn