“There are still good trade relations with China, as well as all other nations.

“Malaysia is still the main hub that everybody wants to engage with,” he said here after attending a “Tech Tarik Talk” session with industry players on the Industry Revolution 4.0.

Leiking noted that many industries in Malaysia were supplying products to various parts of the world.

“There are several components that are manufactured in Malaysia and needed all over the world,” he said, adding that this showed Malaysia had an important part to play.

It was previously reported that Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd had notified China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the contractor for the ECRL project, to suspend work on the 688.3km railway project on grounds of national interests.

The suspension came a day after the finance ministry disclosed that the final cost of the ECRL project was RM81 billion and that CCCC needed to significantly reduce the construction cost to make it financially viable.

The project was approved by the previous government on Oct 21, 2016 while the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning agreement was signed with CCCC on Nov 1, 2016.

ECRL main contractor ‘upset’, hopes suspension will be lifted