On October 31, Chinese Consul General in Penang Zhou Youbin attended the acceptance ceremony for the regenerative rice experimental field in Balik Pulau, Penang. Also present were YAB Mr. Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang and his wife YABhg Madam Tan Lean Kee; YB Dato' Rashidi Zinol, Penang State Executive Councillor for Rural Development, Agrotechnology & Food Security, and Entrepreneurship Development; YB Goh Choon Aik, Penang State Executive Councillor for Trade and National Unity; Dr. Lee Eng Hua, President of the Penang Chinese Enterprises Chamber of Commerce; Zhang Zhixing, Professor at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University and the responsible expert of the Specialty Crop Technology Institute in Penang, Malaysia.

In his speech, Consul General Zhou stated that the regenerative rice project—a collaboration between Fujian, China, and Penang, Malaysia—serves as an exemplary model of cooperation among government, academia, and the business sector. It also represents another vivid manifestation of China-Malaysia agricultural cooperation, extending beyond existing cooperation in fresh durians and bird's nests. The introduction of Chinese agricultural technology abroad is not merely a simple technology export, but a sharing of expertise in increasing yields and a joint effort to build a community with a shared future for food security. As Malaysia is a food-importing nation, he hopes that the success of this regenerative rice project will contribute to Malaysia’s food security.


