KUCHING: Zhenjiang of Jiangsu Province in China and Guro, South Korea have expressed keen interest in establishing friendship ties with Kuching.
This was disclosed by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor James Chan during the launching of the 24th anniversary of Kuching City and Kuching Festival by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Wednesday.
“Since being awarded the Tourist City Award by the United Nations Inter-nation Strategy for Disaster Reduction, World Cities Scientific Development Alliance and Sister Cities International last year, international cities have expressed interest in establishing friendship relations with Kuching,” he said.
According to him, apart from Zhenjiang and Guro, MBKS has also forged ties with Zhanjiang of Guangzhou Province and Kunming of Yunnan Province.
“With these friendship relations in place, we should be able to attract tourists and investors for the betterment of Kuching’s economy,” said Chan.
“The economy here will also flourish and our living standards will definitely increase, making the people in Kuching even more dynamic and prosperous.”
Chan also called upon the Kuching community to continue efforts to sustain the city’s healthy environment.
“The quality of life the people in Kuching enjoy today is due in no small measure to our ability to achieve the twin objectives of a robust economy and a healthy environment.
“For this to go on, we must ensure that the government, the private sector and the people all work together and forge a partnership for sustainable development,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kuching City North Commission Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai pointed out that the community played a crucial role in creating a healthy and liveable city.
“We must all work together and be responsible in making Kuching a city with a clean and healthy environment,” he said.