Zhuhai to have a Malaysia-China culture centre

GUANGZHOU: A Malaysia-China culture centre will be set up as part of the upgrade plan for the Zhuhai International Circuit (ZIC) here to highlight the amicable ties enjoyed by the two countries.

Among others, the expansion will include a museum on Admiral Zheng He, whose visits to Malacca during his naval expeditions 600 years ago started the friendship between the people from both regions.

The transformation plan was revealed to the Prime Minister’s special envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting during his visit to Zhuhai, which is a municipality under Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province.

“The cultural elements of its expansion plan will help to boost tourist arrivals from Malaysia to Zhuhai,” said Ong, who is also the Malaysia-China Business Council chairman.

ZIC Ltd is a joint venture between LBS Bina Group Bhd and Zhuhai Jiuzhou Holdings.

With a presence of 15 years in Zhuhai, LBS is one of the 18 Malaysian enterprises investing in the coastal city of Zhuhai.

Zhuhai party secretary Li Jia, in a meeting with Ong, said a Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Transmarine Bridge would be completed next year, cutting the distance between the three regions.

“As a major municipality under Guangzhou, we should be playing the lead role in the cooperation with Malaysia,” he added.

The southern province of Guangdong has expressed its interest to form a “friendship province and state” status with Malacca.

Li said he would host a meeting with the Malaysian investors in Zhuhai soon to listen to their views and to explore more ­possibilities to expand cooperation.

He was also keen to send a delegation to Malacca by June next year.

Ong was leading a delegation of businessmen and Malacca state executive councillors for a four-day visit to Guangzhou.

The delegation also visited the Hengqin Free Trade Zone in the Zhuhai municipality yesterday.