KUALA LUMPUR - The proposed Malaysia China Institute (MCI) is expected to strengthen strategic cooperation between Malaysia and China, especially in high-impact Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the proposal was discussed during a meeting with China’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Ouyang Yujing.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the talks covered cooperation in human capital development, trainer training, equipment support and technical skills, including the placement of Mandarin language instructors at the institute.

“At the initial stage, the MCI will operate using existing GIATMARA facilities in Bagan Datuk before a new permanent campus is developed on a 60-acre site,” he said in a Facebook post.

He said the institute is expected to accommodate up to 2,000 students and will focus on high-impact and high value-added TVET programmes.

Ahmad Zahid said both countries agreed the institute could become a strategic platform for sharing knowledge, expertise and training between Malaysian and Chinese institutions.

He added that 18 TVET fields have been identified for the initial phase, including automotive, electric vehicles, industrial automation, solar energy, robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and agrotechnology.

As the next step, Ahmad Zahid said both sides agreed to form a Joint Working Committee and introduce mobility programmes for students and instructors to support future industry needs.