Malaysia and China have agreed to expedite the signing of an agreement for their five-year joint development programme, which should now be done by year end, and have identified nine potential areas for cooperation.

The programme was made possible following the visit by Chinese premier Wen Jiabao to Malaysia in April. It is scheduled to be implemented in 2013.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the government would be identifying one or two areas of cooperation that could be carried out within the first few years.

“Five years will be too long. Therefore, we need to identify one or two areas out of the nine in which we can start the cooperation with China immediately.

“One of the likely areas is the halal industry,” he added.

The nine areas were identified after Mustapa met with his counterpart, China’s Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, at the ninth Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETC) here on Wednesday.

During the closed-door meeting of the two ministers, both also agreed to solve the bird’s nest controversy as soon as possible.

“The Chinese government understands the importance of the industry to Malaysia and has agreed to look into it again,” Mustapa said.

In July, China imposed a temporary ban on the import of bird’s nest from Malaysia after it was allegedly found that samples of the product contained 200 parts per million (ppm) of nitrate.

The standard level allowed in food by the World Health Organisation is 34 ppm.

Mustapa said he would bring the issue to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who will be visiting the 8th China-Asean Expo in Nanning today.

“I will talk to our prime minister about the issue so that he can bring the matter up with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the expo.”–BTimes