Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Xiao Jianguo delivering his speech. - BB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: In 2024, bilateral trade between Brunei Darussalam and China reached US$2.809 billion, with Brunei’s exports to China nearing USS2.1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 7.8 per cent. China has become Brunei’s second-largest source of foreign investment and one of its top three trading partners, further strengthening the bonds of mutual interest.
This was said by Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Xiao Jianguo during the annual media briefing on China’s latest development, China-Brunei relations and people-to-people exchanges at a hotel on Thursday (March 27).
On the flagship project of Belt and Road cooperation, Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd “has been operating with high quality, contributing approximately 10 per cent of Brunei’s annual gross domestic product and playing a vital role in Brunei’s economic diversification.
The expansion of Muara Port is progressing steadily, with the ‘Port-Industry-Park’ model being better implemented, advancing toward a regional hub port”, the ambassador said.
Over the past year, he recalled, “The trial planting of China’s hybrid rice in Brunei has yielded a bumper harvest, and the Project of Hybrid Rice Senior Expert Consultant was successfully completed, contributing to Brunei’s food security. Brunei’s aquatic products, including udang galah, have entered the Chinese market, making their way to the dining tables of Chinese consumers.”
People-to-people exchanges in education, culture and city-to-city cooperation, he described, “Have grown even more frequent, fostering mutual understanding and friendship.”
The ambassador also described that China and Brunei have a long history of friendship.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than 30 years ago, he said, “Our two countries have continuously deepened political mutual trust, actively aligned development strategies, and achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields.
"We have also maintained good coordination in international and regional affairs, set a fine example of equality and mutual benefit between countries of different sizes, and made positive contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.”
Last month, he shared “Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah visited China and attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin. The two heads of state held a cordial and friendly exchange, during which they spoke highly of the high-level development momentum of China-Brunei relations and reached important consensus on advancing bilateral relations towards a China-Brunei community with a shared future, charting a strategic blueprint and injecting strong impetus into the growth of China-Brunei ties.
"This also sent a positive message that amid global transformations unseen in a century, China and Brunei are forging ahead together on the path to modernisation.”
He added, “Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that the joint building of a China-Brunei community with a shared future conforms to the trend of the times, serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, and opens a new chapter in bilateral relations.
"The two countries should seize the opportunity to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and strategic coordination, respect and trust each other, and always be good neighbours facing each other across the sea, good friends trusting each other, and good partners for common development.”
The Sultan meanwhile, the ambassador said, “Stressed that Brunei and China have always respected and trusted each other, and bilateral relations have continued to grow. Brunei highly values its ties with China, firmly adheres to the one-China policy and regards China as a key partner for cooperation.
Brunei stands ready to work with China to consolidate the strategic cooperative partnership and jointly working towards a Brunei-China community with a shared future, bringing greater benefits to the peoples of both countries.” – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
