Women entrepreneurs from Yunnan and Malaysia are exploring new opportunities for economic and business cooperation following an exchange held in Kunming on 9 September 2026.
The “Women Entrepreneurs Strengthening Connectivity · Yunnan-Malaysia Working Together for Development — Yunnan-Malaysia Women Entrepreneurs Economic and Business Cooperation Exchange” was jointly organised by the Yunnan Women Entrepreneurs Association and the Women Entrepreneurs Committee of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC WEC).
The exchange aimed to strengthen connections between women entrepreneurs from both regions while promoting resource sharing and complementary strengths across trade, industry, investment and cross-border markets.
Held at the Kunming Yunan International Convention and Exhibition Hotel, the event brought together women entrepreneurs from various industries in Yunnan and Malaysia for thematic discussions, business presentations, project introductions and business matching.
Building on Continued Exchanges
Wu Tao, Director of the Women’s Development Department of the Yunnan Provincial Women’s Federation, attended and delivered remarks.
Zhang Mei, President of the Yunnan Women Entrepreneurs Association, and Jamie Tiew Yen Houng, Chairperson of the Women Entrepreneurs Committee of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce, also delivered keynote addresses.
The programme featured business and project presentations from entrepreneurs on both sides, followed by economic and trade project presentations and interactive business discussions.
In her address, Jamie Tiew said leading the MCCC WEC delegation to Yunnan represented not only a business and industry study visit, but also a “return visit of friendship”.
Members of the Yunnan Women Entrepreneurs Association had previously visited Malaysia twice, with the continued exchanges and mutual visits creating a foundation for further cooperation.
Tiew noted that meaningful cooperation is not built through a one-off exchange, but through continuous interaction and connection. She also highlighted the importance of trust and mutual understanding developed through repeated engagements.
The Yunnan visit was themed “Meeting in Colourful Yunnan · Joining Forces for Shared Development”. Through site visits, industry study, business exchanges and cultural experiences, the delegation sought to strengthen friendship and understanding while identifying opportunities for industry cooperation and market expansion.
Connecting Industry Strengths and Business Opportunities
The exchange provided entrepreneurs from Malaysia and Yunnan with an opportunity to introduce their businesses, areas of expertise and potential cooperation projects.
The Yunnan side highlighted strengths across cultural tourism and wellness, wellness-oriented real estate, specialty agriculture, highland agricultural products, integrated logistics, cross-border e-commerce, intangible cultural heritage and creative industries.
Other areas included Yunnan tea and opportunities for market expansion into ASEAN.
Malaysian entrepreneurs, meanwhile, shared their experience and business opportunities in international sales, business management, legal services, real estate, finance, brand marketing, logistics, trade and cross-border market development.
Through face-to-face discussions, participants explored potential synergies across industrial chains, supply chains and market resources.
A total of 38 Chinese and Malaysian entrepreneurs and business representatives participated in the sharing sessions, comprising 17 Malaysian representatives and 21 representatives from China.
The programme subsequently continued with economic and trade project presentations, interactive discussions and the identification of potential cooperation projects.
From Business Exchanges to Long-Term Partnerships
Tiew said women entrepreneurs are an important force in driving economic development and social progress.
Since its establishment in 2018, MCCC WEC has brought women entrepreneurs together while promoting women’s entrepreneurship, business growth, international exchanges and economic and trade cooperation.
She stressed the importance of developing a longer-term, stable and practical cooperation mechanism that encourages member enterprises from both sides to pursue mutual visits, project cooperation, resource sharing, market development and industry matching.
Tiew described the significance of the exchange through four stages: “From introduction to understanding, from exchange to cooperation, from friendship to partnership, and from mutual visits to shared success.”
She also expressed hope that women entrepreneurs from Yunnan and Malaysia would continue to visit, communicate and remain connected, bringing their resources, markets and business networks closer together.
Expanding Cross-Border Opportunities Through Yunnan
As economic and trade relations between China and Malaysia continue to deepen, both sides have opportunities to cooperate across areas including trade and investment, technological innovation, education and culture, tourism and industry.
As an important gateway connecting southwest China with South and Southeast Asia, Yunnan offers a platform for Chinese and Malaysian enterprises to explore cross-border business cooperation and access new markets.
The exchange strengthened ties between women entrepreneurs from Yunnan and Malaysia while creating conditions for future collaboration involving industries, projects, capital and markets.
The Yunnan Women Entrepreneurs Association and MCCC WEC look forward to building on the exchange as a new starting point for continued interaction and project implementation between entrepreneurs from both sides.
Through sustained engagement, both organisations aim to strengthen the “tree of friendship” and widen the “bridge of cooperation”, creating new opportunities for shared development among women entrepreneurs.
The connections established during the Kunming visit are expected to develop into further business partnerships and cooperation opportunities in the years ahead.
