Malaysia's government is targeting achieving high-income status by 2020, and sees foreign investment as being crucial to it realising this goal. However, it is wary of the country's economy being overdependent on business from overseas.

Its 13 free zones and 18 industrial zones are seen as lynchpins of Malaysia's economic aspirations as well as useful tools for helping outlying areas catch up with the capital city Kuala Lumpur. One such zone is Iskandar, where ambitious targets for development have been set.

The agri-food business has acquired a mixed reputation over the past few years, with many in emerging markets claiming that the demands placed upon it are unrealistic. However, the issue of feeding the world's growing population is not going to go away, and those well placed to meet these demands will be the ones to profit.

Malaysia's excellent economic performance in recent years has come on the back of its Economic Transformation Programme. Its prime minister and finance minister Dato’ Sri Abdul Tun Najib Razak tells Barbara Njau how the programme has helped diversify the country's economy, which has continued to thrive while much of the rest of the world has struggled.

Chengdu is leading western China's investment charge, and Hui Bao, chairman of the Chengdu Overseas Exchanges Association and a member of Chengdu Municipal Committee, says that the growth of the city and its surrounding area is where China's focus now lies.

The aftermath of the global financial crisis has seen the rapid growth of China's large eastern cities slow. This has caused attention to increasingly turn towards inland areas of the country, and chief among them is the city of Chengdu. Barbara Njau reports on why this south-western centre is attracting more and more FDI attention.

Chengdu is establishing itself as an investment hub in western China. The city already has established automotive and bio-pharmaceutical industries, while its growing population is increasingly attracting the attention of the multinational retail brands.

(Photo, left: Chengdu at night copyright: Zhang dezhong)

The Chengdu government's long-term focus on the high-tech industries appears to be paying off, as its technology parks are attracting international names brought in by the city's pro-business attitude and deep talent pool.