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- The delegation from Sarawak and the Yunnan provincial government marking this historic moment with a group photo.
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- Abang Johari (left) exchanging documents with Ruang.
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- Mayor of Kuching City North Datuk Abang Abdul Wahab Abang Julai (seated left) signing the MoU with Tian Jiangquan, vice-governor of Dali Prefecture (seated right).
KUNMING, China: The bilateral relationship between Sarawak and Yunnan Province of China has been further strengthened with the signing of four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) yesterday.
Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg representing Sarawak State Government and Yunnan Provincial governor Ruang Cheng Fa for the Province of Yunnan signed an MoU for the establishment of friendship between the state and the province.
The state government represented by the relevant agencies also inked three other MoUs with the Yunnan provincial government.
They were the Friendship City Agreement between Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) and Dali City; education cooperation between Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and Yunnan University as well as literary cooperation between Pustaka Negeri Sarawak and Yunnan Provincial Library.
The signing of the four MoUs was a historic day for Sarawak and Yunnan Province.
In his brief return address, Abang Johari said his visit could be viewed as an effort to renew the bilateral friendship between Yunnan Province and Sarawak which dated back to the time of the great Chinese admiral Cheng Ho, who explored Southeast Asia in the 15th century.
He pointed out that a friendship park had been built in Kuching in dedication to the friendship established during the time of Cheng Ho.
“I am sure in this modern time we can renew this friendship based on our cultural exchange as well as social visits between Sarawak and Yunnan,” he said.
The government of Sarawak and Yunnan could also explore other areas of cooperation, especially in science and technology, he added.
Abang Johari, who has been on a weeklong working visit to China since Sunday, arrived in Beijing on Sunday for his first working visit overseas since appointed Chief Minister about two months ago.
He is accompanied by his wife Datin Amar Datuk Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang as well as Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Abdul Ghani and their wives.
On Monday, the Chief Minister witnessed the signing of an MoU between SEDC and a Chinese international tourism development company, Beijing Glory International Culture Development Co. Ltd, at Nou Hotel in the Chinese capital for the purpose of further developing Sarawak’s tourism potential and hospitality management.
Later yesterday, Abang Johari and his entourage flew to Hong Kong to continue the tour.