April 23, 2026
Miri, April 2026 — AERI Deputy Director Chen Chao and Advisor Dato' Loh Sua Yaw led a delegation to visit ASEAN's first smart city project — Kenyalang Smart City (KSC) — and held talks with TAK Group Chairman Teo Chee Tong on healthcare investment research, smart city development, and other areas of cooperation.
Kenyalang Smart City is a major integrated development project supported by the Sarawak state government, with a total investment of RM 5 billion (approximately CNY 8.6 billion) covering 543 acres. It is positioned as ASEAN's first smart city and the future economic center of Borneo. The project encompasses an international convention center, medical tourism center, education hub, and green energy facilities, serving as a key engine for Sarawak's economic transformation.
Chairman Teo provided the AERI delegation with a detailed introduction to KSC's development plans and construction progress. He highlighted the landmark collaboration with Fudan University — the Fudan University Southeast Asia Integrative Medical School. This project was officially signed in May 2025, marking Fudan University's first overseas campus. It will establish an integrative medical school, training center, AI diagnosis center, and Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine integrated research center, with phased construction at the former Miri City Hall site and a permanent KSC campus. Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian and Chinese Consul-General in Kuching Xing Weiping attended the signing ceremony, underscoring the project's important strategic position in regional medical education cooperation.
Deputy Director Chen Chao expressed high recognition of KSC's strategic positioning and development prospects. He noted that AERI has long focused on ASEAN regional economic development and investment opportunities, and that Sarawak — with its abundant natural resources, stable political environment, and forward-looking industrial planning — has become an ideal destination for Chinese enterprises investing in ASEAN under the Belt and Road Initiative. The KSC project organically integrates cutting-edge fields including smart city, healthcare, and green energy, providing an important platform for China-Malaysia industrial cooperation.
During the talks, Deputy Director Chen Chao extended a formal invitation to Chairman Teo to serve as the Institute's Advisory Director, to jointly promote Asian regional economic research and investment cooperation. Chairman Teo expressed his gratitude and willingness to deepen cooperation with the Institute.
Advisor Dato' Loh Sua Yaw noted that the Institute is willing to cooperate with TAK Group in three areas: conducting smart city investment case studies, exploring collaboration opportunities with the Fudan University Southeast Asia Medical School, and assisting in organizing China-Malaysia investment promotion activities.
Both parties reached consensus on next-step cooperation:
TAK Group of Companies was established in 1995 as a diversified multinational enterprise with business spanning architectural planning and design, real estate development, horse racing industry, hotels and resorts across Southeast Asia, China, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Chairman Teo Chee Tong was born in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia, with ancestral roots in Putian, Fujian. He graduated from Harvard University with a Master's degree in Urban Planning and Design, earning "Outstanding Student" honors. As an internationally renowned architect and entrepreneur, he served as planning advisor to Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed for seven consecutive years, and has provided architectural planning and investment consulting to former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, former Pakistani President Musharraf, and other national leaders.
Under his leadership, TAK Group has participated in a series of world-class landmark projects, including the master planning of Malaysia's Putrajaya new government administrative district, the Dubai Meydan Racecourse (built at a cost of USD 3 billion in 920 days), and the Dubai Palm Island master planning. The Meydan Racecourse is hailed as a new benchmark for the global horse racing industry, creating a miracle in architectural history.
Chairman Teo is also a globally top-tier thoroughbred horse owner, founding the CHC Jockey Club in 2012, which has won over 340 Group 1 races across 13 countries, including the legendary American Triple Crown winner "Justify." He established Inner Mongolia Yitai Dama Horse Industry, which has become a leader in China's thoroughbred horse industry.
Chairman Teo received the Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers' Association (SHEDA) Lifetime Achievement Award and is one of the most influential Chinese entrepreneurs in Sarawak. His journey from a fisherman's son to an internationally renowned architect and entrepreneur is regarded as a model of successful Chinese entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia.