Jilin delegates’ visit a success – Invest Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chairman of Invest Sabah Berhad, George Wong Hsueh Cheng, described the recent official visit by the Jilin Provincial Government of China to Kota Kinabalu as “successful” and “fruitful”.
Six officials led by Li Jianhua, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Jilin Province, visited the capital city from April 23 to 25 to strengthen economic ties and explore investment opportunities between Jilin Province and Sabah.
Jilin is a north-eastern province in China bordering North Korea and Russia. The visit focused on fostering diplomatic relations and promoting investment opportunities between the two regions.
“This successful and fruitful visit certainly marks a significant milestone following the Sabah Government’s working visit to Jilin Province in February 2023, led by the Sabah Economic Advisory Council and Sabah’s Ministry of Industrial Development and
Entrepreneurship,” said Wong.
He said that since then, Invest Sabah Berhad had been actively engaged in facilitating communication and collaboration between Jilin Province and Sabah, hosting visits from Jilin Government and private sectors to Sabah in April, June and July 2023.
“These efforts by Invest Sabah Berhad have paved the way for a promising pipeline of investment projects from Jilin Province to Sabah, with discussions culminating in potential projects spanning various sectors including manufacturing, agriculture, research and trading,” said Wong.
During their visit to Kota
Kinabalu on April 24, the Jilin Government delegation had also made a call to Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji bin Haji Noor to discuss further collaboration opportunities. The Jilin Government extended an invitation to the Chief Minister and the Sabah Government to visit Jilin Province in July 2024 for the signing of Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on various projects.
Wong said that he is glad to be able to play a crucial role during the visit, participating in meetings, dinners and site visits with the Jilin Provincial Government delegation.
“During their three-day visit, our team from Invest Sabah Berhad had facilitated discussions on numerous potential joint venture projects. I myself had chaired a meeting between Sabah state government agencies MIDA Sabah, SEDCO, Invest Sabah Bhd and the Jilin delegates to discuss the potential setting-up of a heavy vehicle assembly factory in Sabah. Private sector player TBNC Datuk Aloysius Tan was also present during the meeting,” he said.
Wong added that Invest Sabah Berhad is fully committed to attracting more Chinese investors, including from Jilin Province, by driving collaborative partnerships with government agencies, private enterprises, and international stakeholders to unlock the full economic potential of Sabah.
“The proposed investment projects are expected to drive economic growth, trade, technology transfer, and job creation in Jilin Province and Sabah, further strengthening bilateral relations between the two regions,” he said.
These efforts by Invest Sabah Berhad have paved the way for a promising pipeline of investment projects from Jilin Province to Sabah, with discussions culminating in potential projects spanning various sectors including manufacturing, agriculture, research and trading.
— George Wong Hsueh Cheng, Deputy Chairman of Invest Sabah Berhad