By Media Selangor Team
SHAH ALAM, Sept 26 — China can rely on Selangor, and Southeast Asia in general, to build a more sustainable and liveable world, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
Delivering a lecture at Peking University, Beijing, as part of his official visit to China, Amirudin praised the country’s remarkable economic progress and expressed confidence that China will play a key role in shaping the future.
He recalled the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 when he was nine years old, describing it as a watershed moment, and how 36 years later, China has caught up at tremendous speed.
“I believe the country now seeks recognition for its success. This did not happen overnight,” he said yesterday.
“I believe China will play a great role in shaping the future, and in Selangor and Southeast Asia, I believe you have a reliable ally to work closer towards a more sustainable, livable and prosperous world ahead.”
Elaborating, Amirudin compared the Cold War Space Race to today’s competition in artificial intelligence (AI), which he expects to be fierce but stressed it should not become a zero-sum game.
The Menteri Besar said during his visits to Shanghai and Beijing in the past few days, he observed how China has advanced in AI and technology, creating quality jobs and helping its people rise out of poverty.
“I have seen and experienced first-hand how rapid the technology you’ve utilised has developed; from your efficient high-speed trains to your electric cars, and vast network of roads.
“While Germany and Japan developed decades-long comparative advantage in internal combustion engines, holding patents which resulted in higher barriers to market entry, instead of trying to play catch up, China developed a new frontier in electric vehicles (EV).
“Today, Germany and Japan are playing catch-up to the amazing capacity of Chinese EV companies,” he said.
Amirudin’s China visit is part of the state government’s official trade and investment mission from September 23 to 30.
The Selangor delegation was also joined by state executive councillor for investment, trade, and mobility Ng Sze Han, Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) chief executive officer Dato’ Saipolyazan M Yusop, MBI Foundation head Ahmad Azri Zainal Nor, Invest Selangor CEO Dato’ Hasan Azhari Idris, and Sidec CEO Yong Kai Ping.
