KUCHING: Sarawak-China relationship will be strengthened to encourage more mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides.
The People’s Government of Fujian Province Vice-Governor Hong Jiexu said this at a lunch reception hosted by Kuching Hockien Association here yesterday.
He said with closer relationship between the two sides China hopes to make greater contributions for their mutual development and prosperity.
“I am very impressed by the Chinese here because they speak better Mandarin than some people in China. I see good development of Chinese education and the inheritance of Chinese traditional culture here,” he said.
Saying more groups from China will be visiting Sarawak in the future, he welcomed the local people to visit China to explore various opportunities for collaboration in all industries.
Also giving a speech was The Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations president Datuk Richard Wee, who hoped for more collaborations between Sarawak and China to bring greater development and mutual benefit to both sides.
He thanked information technology advancement for making communication easier and collaboration possible.
Looking back at history, he said their ancestors worked very hard when they migrated to Southeast Asia from China.
“After a few generations of hard work, life is getting better now. But the sentimental bondage among the Chinese never fades,” he remarked.
Minister of Local Government Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Kuching Hockien Association executive advisor Lu Kim Yong and Deputy Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching, Liu Dong Yuan, were among those present.
Hong was leading a six-man delegation to the state. They arrived here yesterday morning and left in the afternoon after the signing of the Sisterhood Agreement between Sarawak and Fujian Province at Hilton Hotel.