Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is in a strategic position to become an important bridge in further strengthening cooperation between Malaysia and China, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said Sabah’s ties with China form an important part of the broader Malaysia-China cooperation, with relations between the two sides having been established for a long time through maritime trade routes.
“For centuries, maritime trade routes have connected coastal communities in Borneo with southern China as well as other areas in Southeast Asia.
Hajiji“This relationship enabled the exchange of goods, ideas, culture and societies, thereby creating bonds that remain meaningful to this day,” he said at the 77th Anniversary Reception of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China at Magellan Sutera Resort, here, on Tuesday.
His speech was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Hajiji said its strategic geographical location, economic potential, rich natural resources and long-standing people-to-people relations enable Sabah to offer a strong platform for the engagement of Chinese enterprises, institutions and communities.
“Trade and investment remain key pillars of Sabah-China relations. China is one of Sabah’s most important trading partners, with cooperation encompassing commodities, agriculture, fisheries, manufactured products, tourism and services.
“Chinese companies operating in Sabah have contributed to economic development, job creation, infrastructure development and stronger business connections,” he said.
He added that Sabah also offers vast investment opportunities to Chinese investors in the tourism, renewable energy, agriculture, fisheries, logistics, digital services and blue economy sectors.
According to him, there is also ample room for both sides to share expertise in the fields of agriculture, marine conservation, clean energy, smart agriculture, and aquaculture.
Hajiji said cooperation in the tourism sector can also be further enhanced through stronger air connectivity, expanded digital marketing, and the development of ecotourism, cultural tourism and adventure tourism.
Besides economic cooperation, he said there is great potential to expand collaboration in education and culture, including through university partnerships, student exchanges, language programmes, research, scholarships, as well as science and technology fields.
He added that Sabah remains committed to supporting strong and constructive relations between Malaysia and China while pursuing the State’s priorities under the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 development agenda.
“Sabah is ready and aspires to be an important platform for Malaysia-China cooperation,” he said.
