China’s GDP RMB82.7 trillion last year – Consul-general
KUCHING: China’s gross domestic product (GDP) posted a growth of RMB364.5 billion in 1978 to RMB82.7 trillion last year marking an average annual growth rate of about 9.5 per cent.
In pointing this out, China’s Consul- General in Kuching Cheng Guangzhong said the foreign trade volume calculated in US dollar increased 14.5 per cent annually.
“Over the past 40 years, the annual growth rate of China’s urbanisation has increased from 17.9 per cent to 58.52 per cent,” he said at the 69th anniversary dinner to mark the founding of China at a hotel here Thursday.
Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was the guest of honour at the dinner.
According to Cheng, China’s GDP for the first half of this year totalled RMB41.9 trillion, with total imports and exports of goods reaching RMB14.1 trillion.
“China has become the world’s second largest economy, largest industrial country, largest commodity trader, largest foreign exchange reserve and largest contributor to global economic growth.
“China’s share of the world economy has grown from 1.8 per cent in 1978 to about 15
Over the past 40 years, the annual growth rate of China’s urbanisation has increased from 17.9 per cent to 58.52 per cent. Cheng Guangzhong, China’s Consul-General in Kuching
per cent last year. For several consecutive years, China has contributed more than 30 per cent to global economic growth,” he disclosed.
“To promote mutual growth, he said China has continuously promoted the Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI) and other cooperation mechanisms with the commitment of building ‘a community with a shared future for mankind’.
“To date, more than 100 countries and international organisations had signed cooperation documents with China.
“In countries along the ‘One Belt One Road’ route, China has directly invested more than US$ 70 billion, built 82 overseas economic and trade cooperation zones and created 244,000 local jobs,” he said.
He therefore stressed that “China’s development is not a threat to Malaysia or the world but a major opportunity”.
Having visited Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, Sri Aman, Serian and Samarahan since last March, Cheng said Sarawak’s beautiful sceneries amazed him.
“Sarawak is really a place of treasures, political experts and great people. I have not been in Sarawak for a long time, but I fully felt the unique charm of the harmonious coexistence of different ethnic groups and the integration of diverse cultures,” he said.
He was glad to note that friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Sarawak had yielded encouraging results.
He said relationship among the people had been deepened while fruitful cooperation in manufacturing, trade and commerce, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishing, tourism, cultural and educational exchanges had been achieved.
“These achievements would not be possible without the commitment of Sarawak government to China,” he added.
Also present was Minister of International Trade and E- Commerce and Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.