Sabah, Fujian to enhance ties
KOTA KINABALU: Cooperation and understanding between Sabah and the Chinese Province of Fujian in particular and between Malaysia and China in general will be further enhanced with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish friendly cooperation between MaZhong Friendship Association Sabah (MZFAS) and Association For Friendship With Foreign Countries.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau said that this understanding will become a better information sharing infrastructure in terms of investment, trade and tourism opportunities available in both countries, particularly between Sabah and Fujian Province and enhancing cooperation between bilateral trade, investment and tourism companies in addition to implementing more programs for cultural exchange, art and education, as well as accelerating cooperation between people and cooperation between the two countries.
“We are proud that Sabah’s own Ma-Zhong Friendship Association Sabah and the Fujian Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries are taking a step ahead to further promote a long-term cooperative mechanism and mutual beneficial cooperation between Sabah and the Fujian Province,” he said at the MoU signing ceremony at Sutera Harbour Marina Club here on Sunday.
This is the seventh MoU MaZhong Sabah has signed with China associations. The others are with Guangdong People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Guangdong Public Diplomacy Association, Jiangxi Overseas Exchange Association, Ningxia Autonomous Region Overseas Exchange Association, Shanxi Overseas Exchange Association and Hangzhou People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
“Malaysia and China’s friendship is nothing new. Our diplomatic relations have gone as far as 45 years ago. In fact, until recently Malaysia was China’s top trading partner within ASEAN where the two countries had pledged to increase bilateral trade, and agreed to upgrade economic and financial cooperation. This partnership had made China a major investor in Malaysia, making Malaysia the platform for China firms’ to enter ASEAN markets,” said Madius who is also Trade and Industry Minister.
“Here in Sabah, the existing close rapport had benefited us tremendously, especially after the China government agreed to set up its consulate-general in Kota Kinabalu four years ago. Their presence here is very much felt - visa-related matters can now be done here, there is a significant increase in the number of tourists from China, investments and businesses are boosted, bringing more job opportunities for locals in the state,” he said.
He said this friendly cooperation will be a win-win situation for both parties. Thanks to the consensus reached, the people in Sabah and Fujian, as well as China and Malaysia at large, will now have deeper mutual understanding and greater friendly exchanges between our respective local governments.
Apart from that, he said the partnership will provide an avenue for better sharing of information on investment, trade and tourism cooperation opportunities available in both countries, as well as boosting cooperation between the bilateral enterprises in trade, investment and tourism. Both organisations can now work on more programmes for culture, art and education exchanges, besides accelerating the people-to-people and educational cooperations between the two countries.
“The benefits do not stop there as this partnership will provide, based on the principle of reciprocity, necessary facilitation and assistance to future plans and undertakings between both organisations. In addition, I was also informed that a liaison team will be formed and tasked to propose a plan of bilateral exchanges for the years to come. They will be the ones to promote the implementation of the planned activities and provide coordination, when necessary,” he added.
Madius said the Sabah government values cooperation with China and is willing to make better use of the Belt and Road Initiative to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields, such as infrastructure, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism.
“At the same time, we welcome Chinese companies and businessmen to invest in the state, bringing more capital and technology, creating more jobs, and adding momentum to Sabah’s economic development. The Sabah government will strive to provide a convenient and favourable investment environment for our friends in China,” he added.
Madius congratuled MaZhong Sabah which has since its formation seven years ago, worked tirelessly as a civil-society organisation to bring closer the governments and the people of Sabah and China for common good.
“Ma-Zhong’s activities, which spanned both here in Sabah as well as many parts of China, are truly impressive and involve cultural, social, economic and educational exchanges. We hope Ma-Zhong Sabah will continue to collaborate with the Sabah State Government as well as the China Consulate-General here to further improve our people-topeople bonds,” he said.
Present at the ceremony were Youth and Sports Minister Frankie Phoong, Assistant Finance Minister Kenny Chua, the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Liang Caide, member of the Leadership/Deputy Director General of the Fujian Foreign Affairs Office and Vice President of Fujian Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Chen Chuxin, and president of Ma-Zhong Friendship Association Sabah, Dr Oh Ei Sun.