Phoong with the government officials and community leaders at the meeting.
KOTA KINABALU (Dec 2): Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe orchestrated a pivotal meeting uniting influential leaders from the Chinese community, associations, chambers of commerce and private sectors.
This gathering marks a momentous occasion as it signifies the inaugural meeting to organize the first-ever Sabah-China Business Summit in 2024.
This event is in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China establishing diplomatic relations.
The strategic importance of this initiative is further emphasized by the recent announcement from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding new visa-free entry for Chinese citizens.
Phoong stressed the timeliness of this development, underlining the need for Sabah to seize the opportunity to proactively promote investment and strengthen bilateral trade relations with provincial governments and potential investors in China.
“The Sabah-China Business Summit in 2024 holds immense potential to fortify economic collaboration between Sabah and China. It is not only a celebration of our longstanding friendship but also a proactive step towards creating a platform for meaningful partnerships,” expressed Phoong.
The meeting resulted in fruitful discussions and the decision to establish a dedicated working committee.
The summit aims to bring together key industry players, fostering dialogue, promoting academic and cultural exchanges, and creating opportunities for robust economic engagement.
The Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship envisions this initiative as a catalyst for increased investment, trade, and strengthened relationships between the people of Sabah and China.
Government officials present at the meeting included Permanent Secretary of MIDE, Datuk Thomas Logijin, Director of the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR), Tseu Kei Yue, Group General Manager of SEDCO, Haizar Razif Hisyam.
Community leaders joining the meeting included the President of the Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS), Tan Sri Dr Goh Tian Chuan, Chairman of Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC), Tan Sri David Chu, Deputy President of Sabah United Chinese Chambers of Commerce (SUCCC), Datuk Tham Yuk Leong, President of SME Sabah, Datuk Foo Ngee Kee, Chairman of MICCI Sabah Datuk Lee Swi Heng, and representatives from Sabah-China Chamber of Commerce (SCCC), Malaysia-China Chambers of Commerce (MCCC), Federation of Sabah Industries (FSI), Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah, and PUMM.
