Anwar to meet industry leaders, deliver keynote address and travel to Hangzhou

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is set to host a business gathering and address at the WorldSkills Conference 2026 in Shanghai today. The event includes a meeting with around 21 Chinese business leaders to encourage significant investments into Malaysia. Following this, Anwar will participate in the opening ceremony of the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 competition, which will be presided over by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC).

The conference runs from September 22 to 27 and serves as a major global platform for showcasing technical and vocational skills excellence. Malaysia will be represented by 22 participants competing in 21 skill categories, with the aim of achieving Malaysia's first gold medal at the prestigious competition.

The Prime Minister and his delegation will then travel to Hangzhou, China's largest city, by high-speed train for the second part of the visit. Upon arrival, Anwar is expected to engage in one-on-one business talks with tech giants AgiBot, Huawei, Alibaba Group, automotive company Geely, and Chinese multinational technology and telecommunications equipment company ZTE Group. He will also attend a welcoming dinner hosted by Premier Li.

Anwar is also scheduled to launch a book titled "Rethinking Ourselves: Justice, Reform, and Ignorance in Postnormal Times," which has been translated into Mandarin. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for the 17th consecutive year, with total bilateral trade reaching US$113.82 billion (RM456.68 billion) from January to August this year. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday for a three-day working visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou.