SCCC stresses role of research in boosting Malaysia–China ties
KOTA KINABALU (Aug 17): Research and development in social sciences and international relations will help Malaysia and China play a greater role in policymaking, economic cooperation, as well as educational and cultural exchanges.
President of the Sabah-China Chamber of Commerce, Datuk Frankie Liew, emphasized this when he received a courtesy visit from Professor Chen Zhirui of the China Foreign Affairs University and Dr Zhong Darong, director of the Malaysian Studies Center at Huaqiao University, Xiamen, last Saturday.
'We look forward to your academic research serving as valuable reference material to help us formulate more effective strategies in advancing Malaysia–China relations,' said Liew.
He added that the visit of such distinguished academics not only affirms the Chamber's work, but also builds an important bridge for academic, economic and trade exchanges between Malaysia and China.
During the meeting, Liew gave a brief introduction to Sabah's history and present circumstances. He pointed out that since joining the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 together with Malaya and Sarawak, Sabah has enjoyed certain autonomous rights in immigration, land and resources. Blessed with rich natural resources and cultural diversity, Sabah also shares deep historical ties with China dating back to the 14th century, evidenced by shipwrecks, cliff coffin culture and the Zheng He River.
He noted that most Chinese in Sabah trace their roots to Guangdong and Fujian, with the majority being Hakka. Although the Chinese community makes up only about 10% of Sabah's population — roughly 400,000 people — they play a pivotal role in politics, economy, education and culture.
'Sabah's Chinese community has established a comprehensive education system, from kindergarten to secondary schools and even tertiary institutions with Chinese-language education, making Sabah a stepping-stone for international students from China and South Korea,' Liew explained.
Because of these contributions in politics, economy, culture and education, the Chinese community in Sabah has long played an important role in fostering Malaysia–China diplomatic and economic ties, he added.
Liew stressed that international relations play an indispensable role in today's economy. With in-depth social science research, both countries can better understand each other's cultural differences and common ground, thereby enhancing policymaking, economic cooperation and educational and cultural exchanges.
He expressed hope that the scholars' visit to Sabah would inspire further research and become a valuable reference for formulating more effective strategies for Malaysia–China relations.
Liew further highlighted that since its establishment, the Sabah-China Chamber of Commerce has been committed to promoting cooperation in economic, trade and business sectors between Sabah and China, by providing trade information, organizing exhibitions, forums, and training, and even setting up liaison offices in China to strengthen ties and collaboration.
He also revealed that the Chamber will host the Malaysia (Sabah)–China Expo in November this year, and called on academic and educational leaders to participate or recommend more talents to join in expanding exchanges and cooperation.
Professor Chen and Dr Zhong remarked that after personally visiting Sabah, they realized that Sabah is not backward as some may assume, but instead is a place that has preserved its natural environment remarkably well.
'East Malaysia has managed to maintain its pristine environment, and its people of various ethnic groups are warm and friendly, leaving a lasting impression on foreign visitors,' they said.
Professor Chen, who earned his doctorate in history from Nanjing University and has conducted research at Mannheim University (Germany), Nottingham University (UK), and Harvard University (USA), is a renowned Chinese scholar in international relations and currently serves as editor of an East Asia studies journal.
He pointed out that Malaysia has always been a focal point in East Asia studies, attracting the attention of both academia and policymakers, particularly regarding its ethnic relations and Chinese community.
'Because Malaysia has a significant Chinese population, its relations with China have always been close,' said Professor Chen.
He revealed that prior to the pandemic, he had visited Peninsular Malaysia. This summer, under the arrangement of Dr Zhong, he visited Sabah for the first time, and expressed gratitude to Liew for the warm hospitality.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
'BN rural, PH urban' formula not foolproof, says analyst
KUALA LUMPUR:The electoral formula that Barisan Nasional (BN) should concentrate on rural seats while Pakatan Harapan (PH) focuses on urban areas may sound practical, but it is not a foolproof strategy for the Sabah state election. Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Datuk Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said while BN's deep-rooted grassroots networks and PH's stronger traction among urban, younger and middle-class voters made the division of focus appear realistic, Sabah's voting patterns were far more fluid compared to Peninsular Malaysia. "Fundamentally, this division of focus appears realistic because it takes into account Sabah's demographic reality. "However, voters can easily shift support based on current issues, candidate personalities, and local sentiments. "Thus, the formula is not foolproof," he said when contacted. He added that the BN–PH strategy carries both the potential to complement each other and the risk of creating friction, depending on how it is managed. "If BN focuses on rural seats and PH on urban ones, both sides can avoid clashing and work together more effectively against Warisan and Perikatan Nasional (PN). "But this only works if there is a clear seat-sharing deal and strong candidates. "Problems may also arise in semi-urban or mixed seats, where support overlaps. Umno's rejection of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) could also put PH in a difficult position, forcing it to choose between siding more with BN or with GRS," he said. On Sunday, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan announced that BN is expected to dominate rural seats while PH will take charge of urban constituencies under a seat-sharing agreement finalised for the upcoming Sabah state election. Previously, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition's pact with PH for the upcoming Sabah election was final, but that they remained open to cooperation with other Sabah-based parties or coalitions. Zahid also said that while the cooperation between PH and GRS was a mutual agreement between the two coalitions, the partnership between BN and PH was now officially confirmed. Commenting further, Awang Azman said BN's refusal to work with GRS may strengthen PH's position as the balancing force, but it could also weaken the unity government if not managed carefully. He added that the refusal could indirectly strengthen GRS's reliance on PH, positioning the coalition as the "bridge" to ensure state–federal stability. "However, this may also open BN to accuse PH of betraying its interests, which could strain relations within the unity government.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
China slams Germany for 'hyping' regional tensions in Asia
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning at the regular press briefing in Beijing on Monday, August 18, 2025. -- Image via the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. BEIJING (AFP): China lashed out at Germany on Monday (Aug 18), warning Berlin against "inciting confrontation and hyping up tensions" after its foreign minister said Beijing was "increasingly aggressive" in the Asia-Pacific region. During a visit to Japan, Johann Wadephul said China had made repeated threats to "unilaterally change the status quo and shift borders in its favour", citing its behaviour in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas. "Any escalation in this sensitive hub of international trade would have serious consequences for global security and the world economy," Wadephul said Monday after talks with Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya. A statement issued on Sunday before Wadephul's visit to Japan -- and later Indonesia -- said that China was "increasingly asserting its regional supremacy and, in doing so, is also questioning principles of international law." "China's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas also has implications for us in Europe: fundamental principles of our global coexistence are at stake here," the statement quoted Wadephul as saying. China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning hit back on Monday, telling a regular news conference that the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea "remains generally stable". "We urge the relevant parties to respect regional countries, resolve issues through dialogue and consultation, and safeguard the common interest of peace and stability, instead of inciting confrontation and hyping up tensions," she said when asked about Wadephul's comments. "The Taiwan question is China's internal affair," she added. - 'War machine' support - In the joint press statement in Tokyo, Wadephul also criticised "China's support for the Russian war machine" in Ukraine. "Without it, the war of aggression against Ukraine would not be possible. China is Russia's largest supplier of dual-use goods and Russia's best oil and gas customer," Wadephul said. He also said ahead of talks later Monday between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders that security guarantees for Kyiv were "crucial". Trump's summit on Friday with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska "made it clear that for a just and lasting peace, Moscow must finally act. Until that happens, pressure on Russia must be increased, including with increased aid to Ukraine," Wadephul said. The talks on Monday in Washington are about establishing "the elements of a negotiated solution on the path to a just peace for Ukraine," he said. "Firm security guarantees are crucial for this. Because Ukraine must be able to defend itself effectively even after a ceasefire and peace agreement." -- AFP
Borneo Post
6 hours ago
- Borneo Post
People's priorities main focus of Warisan, says Shafie
Shafie (right) speaking to Chris at his residence in Kota Kinabalu. KOTA KINABALU (Aug 18): Parti Warisan (Warisan) will contest the upcoming state elections on its own, with the people's priorities as its main focus, said its president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal. Responding to analyst reports predicting no single party will secure a majority, Shafie said Warisan has been an opposition party in Sabah for six years, and the priority is ensuring Sabahans decide their own future. 'I cannot make assumptions that if we don't have the numbers, then we have to work with others — we're not driven by greed. 'I'm worried that an election partner would be more concerned about benefits from the seats they win. To me, we need clarity. Let us be the only choice for Sabahans — we must resolve the people's needs now,' he said after receiving a courtesy call from United States Embassy political counsellor Chris Carver at his residence here today. Shafie stressed that Warisan will be selective in fielding candidates to prevent individuals implicated in corruption from further tarnishing Sabah's politics. 'We are not here to please them. We have to win the elections. I already told them that no corrupt practices will be tolerated,' he said. When asked if Warisan, as the main local party, would work with other Sabah-based parties, Shafie emphasised that trust and consistency are crucial. He revealed that a leader of a component party in a local coalition had told him they would leave the coalition last year, yet remained in it. 'This shows inconsistency. If they don't get the seats or arrangements they want, they will pull out. This means they are still thinking of themselves instead of the people, who still face water and electricity problems. 'Warisan was set up to fight for Sabah's rights, not to be YBs. We want proper leaders,' he said. Although not discounting potential cooperation with local parties, Shafie stressed that Warisan's focus is to work directly with the people to drive transformative change. On candidates, he said there are three to five potential individuals for each constituency, and all profiles are being scrutinised carefully. 'First, we have to win. Second, once they become YBs, they must serve their people. The people's voice must be the priority,' he said. Shafie's meeting with Chris also touched on Sabah's economy, well-being and opportunities for international partnerships. 'Interestingly, we also talked about women's football, which is very popular in Sabah. Many Malaysian national team players are Sabahans, showing our strength and passion for the game,' he said. He added that the US Embassy's recent soccer clinic in Sabah highlighted the potential for youth development and sports exchanges. 'It's always encouraging when Sabah is recognised not just for our resources, but for our people and their talents,' said Shafie.
