Kota Kinabalu: China’s Consul General in Kota Kinabalu Dr Zhu Xinglong lauded the deepening cooperation between China and Sabah, highlighting the growing economic, tourism and cultural ties that are injecting fresh momentum into the state’s transformation.
Speaking at a reception to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here Thursday, Zhu said collaboration between China and Sabah has achieved “remarkable results with many highlights” under the strategic guidance of national leaders from both countries.
He noted that China has remained Sabah’s largest trading partner for several consecutive years, with both sides increasingly complementing each other in key areas such as the blue economy, green economy and tourism.
“Our economic and trade exchanges are growing more frequent by the day. Both sides are deeply integrated into each other’s industrial, supply and value chains.
Chinese enterprises have expanded their investment from traditional industries into new quality productivity sectors, injecting fresh momentum into Sabah’s economic transformation and upgrading,” he said.
Zhu also underscored the strong surge in tourism, pointing out that the implementation of the mutual visa exemption policy has significantly boosted arrivals from China.
“In the first seven months of this year alone, nearly 410,000 Chinese travelers visited Sabah, a year-on-year increase of 46.3 per cent. They accounted for 47.8pc of all international visitors to the State,” he revealed.
He said this reflected not only Chinese tourists’ fondness for Sabah’s “clear skies, blue seas and rich culture,” but also the broader people-to-people exchanges that continue to strengthen bilateral ties.
“We warmly welcome more Chinese citizens to experience Sabah’s beauty and at the same time, we invite our friends in Sabah and Labuan to visit China to witness our modernization achievements in person.
Together, we can compose a better chapter of strengthening people-to-people ties between our two sides,” added Zhu.
The Consul General stressed that the expanding cooperation is part of the broader framework of China-Malaysia relations, which have entered what leaders call the “Golden 50 Years.”He recalled that during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia earlier this year, both countries reached an important consensus on building a high-level strategic community with a shared future. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent meeting with President Xi in Beijing further cemented the commitment to advancing modernization hand in hand.
Zhu expressed confidence that China-Sabah cooperation will continue to thrive, with stronger economic integration, more tourism exchanges and deeper people-to-people connections.
“The Chinese Consulate General stands ready to work closely with the Sabah State Government and all sectors of society to jointly implement the important consensus reached by our leaders.
Together, we will open new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation and build an even more brilliant next 50 years for China-Malaysia relations,” he said.
Zhu also reaffirmed China’s commitment to global peace, stability and multilateralism, while acknowledging Malaysia as a key partner in advancing shared prosperity and regional development.
