Consul: Steady growth in China-Sabah trade ties
Published on: Thursday, September 19, 2019
By: Hayati Dzulkifli
KOTA KINABALU: The existing trade cooperation between China and Sabah has developed steadily in recent years with great potential and broad prospects in the future, said China’s Consul-General for Sabah, Liang Caide.
He said there is a lot of consensus between him and the Chief Minister on how to further expand and deepen the China-Sabah cooperation.
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“Particularly in April, this year, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal led a trade delegation to visit China and signed a series of cooperation intentions, which injected new impetus into the trade and investment cooperation between China and Sabah.
“In fact, we are very pleased to see that more Chinese companies have come to invest in Sabah. Furthermore, more tourists from China come to visit Sabah as in the first half of this year, it has reached 310,000.
“Thus, the cooperation between China and Sabah pose huge potentials and wider prospects in the future,” he said, in his speech at the opening of the 2019 Gaya Street Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival officiated by Shafie who was represented by State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Junz Wong at Lintasan Deasoka, here, recently.
The United Sabah Chinese Communities Association of Kota Kinabalu (USCCAKK) under the leadership of its President Datuk Susan Wong organised the festival.
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On behalf of the State government, Junz represented a contribution of RM50,000 in a mock cheque to Susan in the event apart from contributions of several ministries and leaders to the USCCAKK. According to Liang, this year also marked the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia.
“For nearly half a century, China and Malaysia have always been good neighbours, good friends and good partners. As for Sabah, the State is an important node of the Belt and Road Initiative and is the nearest geographically.
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“The development of China-Malaysia relations and the deepening of China-Sabah cooperation cannot be made without the effort and support of people from all levels, especially the vast number of Chinese in Sabah.
“It is hoped that fellow Chinese will continue to carry forward the fine traditions and virtues of the Chinese nation and make greater contributions to the prosperity and development of Sabah, as well as the friendly cooperation between China and Sabah,” he said.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival celebration here, Liang said he has spent the third Mid-Autumn Festival in Sabah and although he is far away from his homeland, the local festive celebration made him feel as warmly as he in his hometown.
He said he was mostly impressed on the love and passion of the Chinese culture here as he could feel the persistence effort of the Sabah Chinese community in inheriting and promoting Chinese traditional culture.
“Moreover, the various ethnic groups in Sabah live in a harmony, united and friendly society.
“Such coherence and co-existence of different cultures and religions without conflicts reflects the diversity and inclusiveness of Sabah society.
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