The company said the move is a first step in a much broader expansion strategy for the region.

Dongfeng said “the move to assemble the ‘Captain’ range locally positions Dongfeng as a strong player in Malaysia’s light-duty truck market."

Honda plans selling “next-generation” hydrogen fuel cell power systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and other applications by 2024.

Dongfeng and Cummins have joint manufacturing facilities producing a range of engines in China.

The company launched the Dongfeng KL and Dongfeng KR, in Vietnam.

A well-established distributor of construction, materials handling and other machinery products, Sunway Trading and Manufacturing, a subsidiary of the Sunway Group, based in Sunway City, Malaysia, announced in February it has acquired Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Malaysia (DFCVM), the local distributor of China’s Dongfeng Motor Corporation.