Kota Kinabalu: Sabah, the nearest state in Malaysia to China, has a thousand-year friendship with China, says Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu Dr Huang Shifang, as next month, her Consulate General prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on May 31, 1974.

For Sabah, the day marked the second day of the State’s Harvest Festival.

Dr Huang said: “These two places enjoy close people-to-people and cultural ties, as well as trade cooperation. In recent years, the landmark progress in China-Malaysia relations has created a rare opportunity for the cooperation between China and Sabah.

“In 2023, Sabah carried out friendly exchanges with many provinces and cities in China, and fruitful achievements were made in the development of our relations.