China's Guizhou eyes strategic ties with Sabah
Published on: Thu, Jul 24, 2025 Text Size: Liew (first right) in discussion with Liu Baochang and Datuk Frankie Liew. Kota Kinabalu: A delegation from the Guizhou Provincial Foreign Affairs Office visited Sabah on Tuesday with the aim of establishing a friendly provincial-state relationship with Sabah, marking a potential new chapter in bilateral cooperation between China's Guizhou Province and the Malaysian state. The proposal, which centres on strengthening ties in economy, culture, trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, was well-received by State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Seri Christina Liew, and State Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship, Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe. The visit, facilitated by the Sabah China Chamber of Commerce (SCCC), saw the Guizhou delegation pay courtesy calls to both ministers to present the province's vision for collaboration. Leading the delegation, Deputy Director-General Liu Baochang outlined Guizhou's strengths, including its status as a hub for new energy, computing power infrastructure, scientific innovation, and liquor production, as well as being home to tech giants like Apple and Huawei, and the globally renowned 500-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope, 'Sky Eye'. He said Guizhou is now actively expanding its reach to Central, South, and Southeast Asia, and sees Sabah as a strategic partner in the region. Liu also extended an invitation for Sabah leaders to visit Guizhou and witness firsthand the province's industrial and technological advancements. 'We hope to deepen and broaden cooperation in economic, cultural, and tourism fields, and establish a formal friendly relationship between our two governments,' Liu said. Christina welcomed the initiative, describing it as an opportunity to connect with one of China's dynamic provinces. 'This visit opens doors for greater understanding and collaboration, especially in areas like eco-tourism and the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme,' she said. She introduced Sabah's strengths in sustainable tourism, its rich biodiversity, and ongoing efforts to preserve indigenous cultures. She also revealed plans for a 65-acre Cultural Centre in Kinolok, where all 35 indigenous ethnic groups in Sabah will showcase their heritage, further enriching the state's tourism appeal. Meanwhile, Phoong highlighted Sabah's push toward industrialisation and infrastructure development, citing upcoming projects like the Pan Borneo Highway, airport expansions in Kota Kinabalu and Tawau, and the upgrading of Sepangar Port. 'Sabah is undergoing transformation through innovation and infrastructure. We see Guizhou as a valuable partner in this journey,' said Phoong, who also invited the delegation to participate in the 2nd Sabah-China Expo this November. He added that the state is working towards increasing its power supply by 700 megawatts by 2030, including launching Malaysia's first wind power plant. Datuk Frankie Liew, President of the SCCC, praised the high-level composition of the Guizhou delegation, which includes senior officials from the foreign affairs office, commerce department, and municipal governments. 'Sabah and Guizhou share similarities in natural resources and cultural heritage. With strong will from both sides, I believe we can foster pragmatic cooperation,' he said. He noted strong potential in areas such as ecological protection, creative industries, environmental technology, and green development, expressing confidence that the partnership would spur mutual growth. Also present during the visit were SCCC Deputy President Brett Chua, Vice President Ir. Ts. KJ Tan, JP, Datuk Jonathan Koh, JP, and officials from Invest Sabah including CEO Dr. Firdausi Suffian. The visit is seen as a stepping stone toward building a long-term cooperative relationship between Guizhou and Sabah, paving the way for increased economic opportunities and cultural exchange between the two regions. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
6 minutes ago
- The Star
Multitude of positive factors entrench Malaysia's economy on growth trajectory
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour has expressed optimism that Malaysia's economy remains on a strong growth trajectory due to multiple factors, such as resilient domestic demand and encouraging exports of electrical and electronic (E&E) products, despite headwinds from impending tariffs. The central bank governor said today that among the combination of positive factors supporting the economy are the frontloading of exports in the first six months, robust tourism activity that could raise Malaysia's export prospects, low unemployment and rising wages. Moreover, he highlighted that about 85 per cent of Malaysia's exports go to markets other than the United States (US). While uncertainties remain, particularly surrounding the final shape and scale of the US tariffs, BNM's revised growth forecast of 4.0 per cent to 4.8 per cent has taken into account multiple scenarios, including potential trade disruptions. "We have accounted for a range of tariff scenarios, including both favourable and less unfavourable trade negotiations outcomes as well as pro-growth policies in major economies. "A diversified export structure will help contain the direct effect from the US, as around 85 per cent of exports are to non-US markets, and no single market accounts for more than 15 per cent of Malaysia's exports,' he told Bernama in an exclusive interview. Abdul Rasheed noted that Malaysia's exports are spread across a wide range of products, consisting of E&E (40 per cent), non-E&E manufacturing goods (46 per cent) and commodities (14 per cent). He said almost half of the demand for Malaysian exports comes from Advanced Asia (19.4 per cent) and ASEAN countries (29 per cent). Domestically, Abdul Rasheed highlighted that domestic demand drives more than 90 per cent of Malaysia's economic growth. "Consumption is still resilient despite the tariff announcement, it's still resilient because income is still growing. Wages are still on an increasing trend, he said. In terms of unemployment, Abdul Rashee said that the rate is at three per cent and is lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic. "People have jobs. These are things that will support the consumption,' he said, adding that the government's ongoing policy support measures remain in place and support the growth. On July 23, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a cost-of-living relief package, which includes a one-off RM100 SARA cash aid, a reduction in the RON95 fuel price, toll hike postponements, and an expanded Rahmah Madani Sales allocation. "This will also provide some kind of spending from the rakyat and drive our domestic consumption,' he added. Turning to investments, Abdul Rasheed said Malaysia recorded RM378 billion in approved investments last year, with over half coming from domestic sources. He said these are tied to long-term national development plans and are expected to sustain momentum through this year and into 2026. In terms of exports, which are likely to be moderate in the second half of 2025 (2H 2025) as tariffs take effect and global growth slows, BNM expects E&E exports to continue supporting growth. Abdul Rasheed said this is underpinned by resilient demand for E&E and emerging opportunities in the artificial intelligence-related segment. "So this is where I think the question comes on tariffs. Exports will definitely be affected; everything in the world will be affected. However, if you look at global trade numbers, they are still growing. "Despite the challenging global environment, exports remained supportive of growth in 1H 2025, helped by robust growth in E&E exports.' "Frontloading activities ahead of anticipated tariff increase contributed to stronger export performance in the second quarter of 2025, although this has tapered down particularly in June,' he said. Abdul Rasheed highlighted that inbound tourism was also expected to provide support for exports in 2H 2025, driven by higher flight connectivity, visa exemptions and promotional activities leading to Visit Malaysia 2026. He said international visitor arrivals into Malaysia were 16.9 million from January to May 2025, which is 20 per cent higher than the same period in 2024. - Bernama
The Star
6 minutes ago
- The Star
Ringgit ends lower vs greenback following Bank Negara's GDP forecast revision
KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit ended easier against the US dollar today, as traders' sentiment was affected by Bank Negara Malaysia's (BNM) gross domestic product (GDP) revision for the year. At 6 pm, the local note slid to 4.2275/2345 versus the greenback from last Friday's close of 4.2195/2245. The central bank has revised Malaysia's 2025 GDP growth to 4.0-4.8 per cent from 4.5-5.5 per cent previously, and similarly, the inflation rate for 2025 is projected to range between 1.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent from the previous forecast of 2.0-3.5 per cent. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the BNM is being pragmatic by adjusting the growth forecast lower, taking into account external risks. At the same time, a lower inflation forecast suggests that the impact from the anticipated RON95 subsidies rationalisation is likely to be manageable. "As such, we foresee this will be positive for the ringgit in the mid- to long-term as fiscal consolidation will continue to take place, resulting in more fiscal space which can be redirected into targeted assistance as well as higher development expenditure (DE). "This Thursday, the government will announce the 13th Malaysia Plan, and we foresee a higher allocation for DE in the next five years to drive the Malaysian economy into high-income status,' he said to Bernama. Meanwhile, he noted that the US Dollar Index (DXY) has strengthened, buoyed by optimism over the upcoming US-China trade talks. "The US Dollar Index (DXY) was up 0.5 per cent to 98.13 points as news over US tariffs is seen to be dollar-positive,' he said. US and Chinese officials are set to meet in Sweden today, with both parties expected to extend the trade truce. At the close, the ringgit ended higher against most major currencies. It rose against the Japanese yen to 2.8497/8546 from 2.8529/8565 at the close last Friday, appreciated versus the British pound to 5.6720/6814 from 5.6786/6853 last week, and edged higher against the euro to 4.9331/9412 from 4.9507/9566 previously. However, the ringgit was mixed against regional peers. It was almost flat against the Indonesian rupiah at 258.3/258.9 from 258.5/258.9 last Friday, gained against the Singapore dollar to 3.2917/2974 from 3.2937/2978 last week, weakened versus the Thai baht to 13.0511/0787 from 13.0268/0478 and fell against the Philippine peso to 7.39/7.41 from 7.38/7.40 previously. - Bernama:
The Sun
36 minutes ago
- The Sun
282 vacant PPR units in Rembau open for applications till Aug 10
SEREMBAN: A total of 282 units in the Rembau People's Housing Project (PPR) remain unoccupied, with applications open until August 10 for eligible buyers. Negeri Sembilan Local Government Development, Housing and Transport Committee chairman J. Arul Kumar confirmed the availability, stating that the Chembong Mukim project comprises 452 terraced houses, with 166 already allocated. 'Applicants and spouses must be Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above. Priority is given to husband and wife with a household income of less than RM5,000 per month and who have never owned a house in the name of the applicant or spouse,' Arul Kumar said in a statement. Interested parties can submit applications online through the official portal at The units are priced at RM40,000 each under a hire-purchase scheme, with monthly installments estimated at RM250. The initiative, a collaboration between the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Negeri Sembilan state government, aims to provide affordable housing for low-income earners. - Bernama
