(From right) Fu presents a souvenir to Manyin at the dinner, as Manyin’s wife Mary Manyin and Fu’s wife Liu Sha look on.
KUCHING: The visit by Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg to China starting Sunday – his first in his capacity as chief minister – is testimony of the state’s ability to share with China’s prosperity and progress.
According to Abang Johari, his maiden visit under his new role will have him meeting many business people in Beijing, Kunming, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
“A few memoranda of understanding (MOUs) will be signed, particularly in the field of tourism and I believe China is a rich country that we can woo to come to our state as tourists,” he said at the Chinese Consulate General Lunar New Year Dinner at Imperial Hotel here on Sunday.
His text of speech was read by Youth and Sports and Solidarity Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin.
Abang Johari added that he was confident that more Chinese tourists would choose the state as their holiday destination in years to come.
“We will also have other engagements during the trip, which includes engineering and construction, culture and education, urban renewal and housing,” he said.
On a related matter, Abang Johari pointed out that relations between China and Malaysia was not recent and had been established since the 15th century, with the Chinese having been in Sarawak for generations.
“The Sarawakian Chinese of today are no longer ‘pendatang’ or immigrants, but are Sarawakians like every other Sarawakians,” he added.
Meanwhile, China’s Consul General in Kuching Fu Jijun said China and Sarawak relations reached new heights last year, which witnessed the signing of several agreements and MOUs.
“Agreements and MoUs were signed, which would see strengthening of bilateral collaboration in port management, tourism promotion, production of solar panel, iron and steel, bio carbon and infrastructure construction,” he said.
Fu added that friendship states and cooperation of cities had deepened with Fujian becoming the friendship state, and Kuching and Sibu having exchanged delegation visits.
“We are glad that the Sarawak government attaches great importance to promoting cooperation between Sarawak and China, and I am confident that the visit by Abang Johari would deepen the cooperation and friendship between China and Sarawak,” he added.
At the event, Fu introduced China’s new Deputy Consul General in Kuching Zhang Yang – an experienced diplomat who had worked in China embassies in Surinam, Japan and Singapore.