KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 17): Sime Darby Plantation Bhd will be among the parties signing one of the three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) during Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's official visit to China beginning today, according to the Ministry of Primary Industries.

Sime Darby Plantation will be signing an MoU with China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corp Group for the technical development on further downstream application for palm oil and palm-based products in China, the ministry said in a statement today.

However, it did not say when the MoU will be signed.

On top of that, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) will sign an MoU with Tsinghua University on the promotion of Malaysian biofuel in China, while the Malaysian Rubber Board will sign an MoU with Hainan State Farms Investment Holdings Group Co for collaboration in rubberised bitumen road technology, as well as rubber tapping automation and mechanisation.

Both MoUs will be signed in Beijing on Aug 20.

Meanwhile, Minister of Primary Industries Teresa Kok will lead a trade mission to promote Malaysia's commodities of palm oil, rubber and timber industries and products in China, after the PM's visit.

The "economic, promotion and investment mission" will run from Aug 21 to 24 in Beijing and Guangzhou, and Kok's delegation will include officials from the ministry, MPOB, the Malaysian Rubber Board, as well as various organisations and private sector members.