Events being held to boost M’sia-China ties

Friendly chit-chat: Huang (in dark jacket, facing camera) sharing a light moment with members of the media in Sabah.

KOTA KINABALU: A series of events celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China this year are being held to further strengthen friendship between the two countries.

China’s consul general in Kota Kinabalu Huang Shifang said the purpose of these activities is also to deepen mutual strategic trust as well as promote cultural exchanges.

“This is to push the China-Malaysia community with the shared future to greater heights with new developments,” she said during a briefing on the Chinese economy and media exchange session here yesterday.

Huang said China and Malaysia always enjoyed friendly ties dating back a millennia ago, adding that Malaysia was the first Asean country to establish diplomatic relations with China in 1974.

She said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited China twice last year and reached an important consensus with President Xi Jinping on building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, leading China-Malaysia relations to a new phase.

She added that Anwar told Premier Li Qiang that Malaysia and China were close friends sharing weal and woe together.

“Malaysians from all walks of life are committed to strengthening friendship with China, and the unity government would like to expand friendly relations further with China as its priority task,” she said, quoting Anwar.

Huang said that in 2023, the total number of China-Malaysia bilateral trade reached 1,338.3bil yuan, with China being the largest trading partner of Malaysia for 15 consecutive years.

Last December, she said, China and Malaysia introduced mutual visa-free entry, bringing its people closer.

“In recent years, the landmark progress in China-Malaysia relations has created a rare opportunity for cooperation between China and Sabah.

“In 2023, Sabah carried out friendly exchange programmes with many provinces and cities in China. The Chief Minister of Sabah, as well as some state Cabinet ministers and state legislative assembly members, visited China.

“All these visits have given rise to the exchange and cooperation at the local level between our two sides,” she said.

Huang said Sabah and China cooperated in areas like investments, trade and culture, adding that China was Sabah’s biggest trading partner.

She said China had significantly contributed to Sabah’s economy in recent years, both in industry and tourism.

For instance, she said, the Kibing Group from China had invested three billion yuan (RM1.97bil) in Sabah’s photovoltaic glass manufacturing industry, creating around 2,000 jobs.

Huang said that thanks to the reciprocal visa-free policies between China and Malaysia, nearly 92,000 Chinese tourists visited Sabah in January and February this year, accounting for some 17.27% of the total number of foreign tourists in Sabah during the same period.

She said friendly ties between the people hold the key to sound state-to-state relations.

“To enhance the friendship between the Chinese and Sabah people, the consulate general and Nur Juhar Foundation have donated funds to build reading facilities in remote rural elementary schools in Sabah since 2022.

“This is with the hope that the seeds of friendship between China and Sabah will grow in the young hearts of these children, and when they grow up, they will contribute to China-Malaysia relations and friendship between China and Sabah,” she said.

Huang said the consulate general’s office will host a reception in Sabah to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia in May.

Among the events planned, she said, is the seventh Short Film Competition and the third Essay Competition in the second half of the year.

She also said Melaka will be the host for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations.

Earlier, Huang said China’s economy grew by 5.2% last year, contributing over 30% to world economic growth.

“China’s GDP in the first quarter of this year grew by 5.3% year-on-year, an increase of 1.6% from the previous quarter.

“The Chinese economy kicked off to a steady start in 2024 with continuous recovery and stable growth.

“It was reported by international media outlets that China’s economy has got off to a good start and confidence is improving, which further enhances the international community’s positive expectations for China’s development prospects.

“China’s GDP is expected to grow by around 5% this year, one of the highest among major economies,” Huang said.