Johor continues to strengthen its position as a strategic regional investment destination following a successful high-level investment dialogue in China that brought together dozens of leading companies from high-value sectors.
Johor Chief Minister, Datoβ Onn Hafiz Ghazi, said the engagement opened space for open discussions on the stateβs development direction, while allowing Johor to directly hear the views and expectations of international investors regarding key state policies, particularly the implementation of the JohorβSingapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
He and the Johor delegation also held a strategic investment dialogue session in Beijing involving 53 leading companies from advanced manufacturing, energy, logistics, technology and services sectors.
βJohor is ready to welcome new industry players seeking to expand their operations in the state, supported by clear policies, structured processes and a skilled workforce,β he said in a statement on 4 January.
The session, jointly organised with OCBC Bank and Bank of Ningbo, aimed to unlock more high-quality investment opportunities for Johor.
According to him, this two-way dialogue approach is crucial in creating mutually beneficial outcomes between Johor and global investment partners.
Datoβ Onn Hafiz emphasised the Johor Governmentβs commitment, noting that the state possesses strong economic fundamentals, stable policies and a conducive ecosystem for long-term growth.
βSeveral key state initiatives were highlighted, including the role of the Johor Malaysia Investment Facilitation Centre (IMFC-J) as an investment enabler, as well as the Johor Talent Development Council (JTDC), which drives local talent development to meet the needs of high-skilled industries,β he said.
He also witnessed the launch of Friends of Johor, a strategic platform designed to serve as a long-term investment bridge between Johor and its strategic partners in China.
This initiative functions as a continuous investment channel to ensure planned projects can be implemented more smoothly, coherently and with high impact.
The official visit to China, Datoβ Onn Hafiz added, also included a roundtable discussion in Shanghai with Maybank and the MalaysiaβChina Chamber of Commerce (MayCham), bringing together more than 30 investors and leading Chinese companies.
βThrough the JS-SEZ framework, Johor continues to be positioned as a key investment destination with a focus on high-value sectors such as advanced industries, clean energy, smart logistics, digital finance, the halal industry and healthcare, all of which can generate quality employment opportunities for the people of Johor,β he said.
Close collaboration with international strategic partners, he stressed, is vital to support the orderly and effective entry of investors into Johor, while ensuring that economic spillover benefits are felt comprehensively by Bangsa Johor.
The working visit concluded with a meeting with ByteDance, a global technology company anchored in artificial intelligence (AI), best known for platforms such as TikTok, Douyin and CapCut, and recognised as a major player in the global digital economy.
Datoβ Onn Hafiz said the meeting focused on strengthening ByteDanceβs long-term commitment in Johor, anchored by large-scale data centre investments exceeding RM29.5 billion (US$9.3 billion) in Malaysia.
In addition, discussions also touched on the potential for next-phase collaboration beyond infrastructure development, encompassing regional operations, artificial intelligence and the development of the digital content ecosystem.
