MELAKA: A two-day visit by a senior Chinese leader to Melaka at the end of May is expected to open up more investment opportunities to the state, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

Without revealing the name of the leader, Ab Rauf said he would use the opportunity as best as he could to show Melaka's potential for Chinese investors to continue investing in the state.

"The presence of the senior leader is expected to further encourage Chinese investors to invest in Melaka. I will show Melaka as a potential state to attract investment from China (in this state)," he said.

He said this after receiving the visit of the Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing at his office in Seri Negeri here today.

Commenting on the approximately 30-minute meeting, Ab Rauf said Ouyang informed him that Melaka and China have a trade history of over 600 years, therefore the state has often been on the lips of traders from the country for a long time.

He said it would make Melaka as the main destination for investors from China in Southeast Asia and the state government would take the opportunity to make it a catalyst for the state's economic development.

He said previously several investors from China had expressed their interest in investing in high technology, electric car assembly, data centre, artificial intelligence technology (AI) and heavy technology.

-- BERNAMA