
KUCHING: The Ministry of International Trade and E-Commerce (MiTEC) Sarawak will host the Sarawak-China Business Forum at the Waterfront Hotel in Kuching on August 6, and 7.
The forum aims to promote and enhance import and export activities between Sarawak and China as well as to provide platform and information sharing on business and investment opportunities.
Approximately 500 participants are expected to be invited to attend this forum and targeted at small and medium-sized entrepreneurs seeking to explore business opportunities to international level.
Additionally, the focus is also on active entrepreneurs and interested in agriculture, importers and exporters as well as potential investors from China are also invited.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg is expected to declare open the forum.
Meanwhile, Sarawak International Trade and E-Commerce Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian are expected to deliver keynote address.
There will be also exhibition on businesses and investments which are available in Sarawak and China.
In this regard, the Assistant Minister of Entrepreneur and Small, Medium Enterprise (SME) Development and Assistant Minister of E-Commerce, Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais represented its Minister, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh led a delegation from Sarawak in a courtesy call to the Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur recently to invite him attend the forum.
In a meeting, Bai Tian was quoted as saying that his side always supported the efforts of the State Government in strengthening trade ties between Sarawak and China.
According to Bai Tian, his office is always ready to help in promoting Sarawak to Chinese investors as Sarawak is rich in natural resources such as hydro, coal and natural gas sources as well as forests that are still green and original.
Bai Tian hopes that the forum will succeed and will benefit Sarawak and China by discussing various topics for mutual benefits in strengthening trade relations between both parties.
According to Bai Tian, he has never failed to promote Sarawak to Chinese investors in view of the vastness of Sarawak being equal to Peninsular Malaysia.
“Through this forum it will be able to encourage more companies or investors from China to invest in Sarawak.
“In fact, it is time for the Ministry of International Trade E-Commerce (MiTEC) to extend its activities as a whole, as it is also a step towards managing transportation and logistics issues so that Sarawak can continue to go further and becoming the focus of investors from China,” he said.
At the meeting, Bai Tian also invited MiTEC to attend China’s Import and Export Expo (CIIE) to be held in Shanghai in November this year.
An area of interest to Bai Tian is the saltwater aquaculture industry where China is ranked number one in the industry and calls on Sarawak to take serious attention.
According to him, there are 130 million Chinese tourists and scattered around the world and he sees that Sarawak’s hidden identity remains a big attraction to tourists.