KOTA KINABALU: POIC Sabah Chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee has proposed a direct flight between Zhengzhou and Kota Kinabalu to strengthen trade and cultural ties during his address at the China Henan International Investment and Trade Fair (CHIITF).
Yong, a former Sabah Chief Minister, stressed Sabah’s role as a strategic hub in Southeast Asia, linking the region to China under the Belt and Road framework.
He noted that Sabah-China trade has expanded from RM700 million in 1992 to RM10.7 billion in 2023, reflecting the value of long-term cooperation.
On education, Yong highlighted that the number of Chinese students in Malaysia had grown to 70,000 by mid-2025, and said closer ties could be supported by direct air links.
Yong also invited Henan stakeholders to the “Sabah China Expo” in Kota Kinabalu this November, aimed at boosting bilateral partnerships in logistics, tourism, education, and industrial development.
