Tan Sri Dato’ Soh Thian Lai, FMM President attended the 62nd East Asia Business Council (EABC) Meeting and the 8th RCEP Business Advisory Council (RBAC) Meeting, which were successfully held on January 14, 2025 in Penang, Malaysia. This significant event marked a pivotal moment with the handover of the EABC Chairmanship from Mr Thanongsinh Kanlagna of EABC Laos (EABC Chair 2024) to Tan Sri Azman Hashim, EABC Malaysia (EABC Chair 2025). Concurrently, the Co-Chairmanship transitioned from Mr Gi-Hyun Kim of EABC Korea (EABC Co-Chair 2024) to Ms Wang Li of EABC China (EABC Co-Chair 2025). Following the meetings, a Welcome Dinner hosted by EABC Malaysia was held. The evening featured remarks and toasts by Tan Sri Azman Hashim and Ms Wang Li, culminating in a special performance by the esteemed Chair himself alongside the captivating Philharmonic Orchestra from Universiti Malaya.

On January 15, 2025, the EABC hosted a successful seminar on RCEP, attended by over 120 participants. The seminar featured prominent speakers, including Tan Sri Azman Hashim, EABC Chair 2025, who delivered the Welcome Remarks. Dr Sugumari S. Shanmugam, Senior Director, ASEAN Economic Integration Division, Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia, presented the Keynote Address on "Expanding Utilisation of RCEP: Unlocking New Opportunities for Regional Growth". Distinguished speakers from across the region shared their insights, including Associate Professor Dr Andrew Kam Jia Yi, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS, UKM),who discussed "RCEP versus ASEAN+1 FTAs: Which is Best for Your Business?" and Mr Garlan Ayoga Irawan, Officer, Trade Facilitation Division, The ASEAN Secretariat, who presented on "ASEAN Tariff Finder - Your Tool to Unlock Trade Opportunities".
Presentations on sharing of best practices in FTA promotion activities were also delivered by Mr Kraisin Vongsurakrai, Deputy Secretary General, The Board of Trade of Thailand; Dr. Jeffrey Wilson, Director of Research and Economics, Australian Industry Group; and Mr Yasufumi Otaki, Senior Director, JETRO Jakarta. Mr Kenji Horie, Senior Project Manager, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expertly moderated the session. The seminar was made possible with the valuable support of D&D Control (M) Sdn Bhd, Sime Darby Property, and EXIM Bank Malaysia. This successful event demonstrated the EABC's commitment to fostering regional economic integration and providing valuable insights to the business community.