Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin met with Malaysian trade officials in Istanbul on Tuesday at a Joint Economic Commission session, expressing concern that bilateral trade between the two countries remains well below potential, falling short of $1 billion.
Sahin noted that Türkiye's total trade with the Asia-Pacific region stands at $21.5 billion, a figure he called inadequate. He added that Türkiye exported only $57 million worth of goods to Malaysia while importing $750 million from the country, a significant imbalance he said needed to be addressed through broader economic cooperation.
Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz agreed that bilateral trade was too low, praised Türkiye's reform efforts, and described the country as a valuable gateway to the European Union market. She called on the Turkish private sector to widen its product range and explore opportunities in third-country markets.
Aziz also revealed that Malaysian automaker Proton is considering an investment in Türkiye, with plans to assemble vehicles in free-trade zones and export them to EU countries and Asia, taking advantage of available tax incentives.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in March 2006, in its own words.