Kota Kinabalu: A large-scale community running event combining sports and cultural diplomacy is set to strengthen ties between Sabah and China on July 27 with the newly appointed Chinese Consul-General pledging his full support for the initiative.
The 2025 Malaysia-China Friendship Run was announced during a courtesy meeting between the Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah and His Excellency Zhu Xinglong, who recently took up his post as Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu.
Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah President Dr Oh Ei Sun outlined how the event aims to enhance Malaysia-China relations through broad community participation, bringing together people from various sectors of society in a celebration of friendship and cooperation.
The friendship run will go beyond athletics, featuring cultural exhibitions and performances that showcase the unique traditions of both Malaysian and Chinese cultures.
The initiative represents a novel approach to diplomacy, using sports as a platform to foster mutual understanding and strengthen grassroots connections between the two nations.
Oh expressed confidence that the event would help elevate cooperation between Sabah and China to new heights, particularly with the arrival of the new consul-general.
The association, which has been promoting people-to-people exchanges since 2012, has previously organised cultural programs and facilitated business connections between Chinese enterprises and local small and medium enterprises in Sabah.
Meanwhile, Zhu expressed his enthusiasm for the friendship run and confirmed his intention to attend the event, signaling strong diplomatic support for the community-driven initiative to boost bilateral ties.
