China investors, industrialists and entrepreneurs will continue to pump money and increase their presence in Sarawak. The People’s Republic of China’s Sarawak Consul-General Cheng Guangzhong, in an interview with New Sarawak Tribune in his Kuching office on the eve of its 69th anniversary celebration which falls today, said Sarawak’s huge land bank, abundant natural resources, affable people and political stability are factors behind the many China investments already in the State.
As at 2017, China investments in Sarawak already exceeded RM120b, top on the list of foreign investors followed by Japan and South Korea.
The latest to join the growing list of China industrialists in Fujian’s Sun Valley Holdings Sdn Bhd which will invest over RM800m in an aquaculture project in Sarawak’s Tanjung Manis Economic Growth Area. Covering an area of over 1,100 acres, the scheme will include shrimp breeding, processing facilities and a research centre.
Foshan Feichi Automobile Manufacture Co. Ltd has entered into an agreement recently with Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) to supply three hydrogen fuel-cell buses to Sarawak and provide expertise to the State to produce hydrogen fuel as an energy and for export to enrich the State coffers. Mr Cheng who assumed his Consul-General job in March this year was a Minister Consul in India for about four years prior to his Sarawak posting.
Summing up China companies’ investments, involvements in the State so far, Cheng said these included Bakun Hydroelectric Dam, Murum Hydroelectric Dam, Baleh Hydroelectric Dam, Balingian Coal-fired Power Plant, 400mw Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Block, LONGi Solar Products Factory, Debak rubber plantation and processing scheme, Tanjong Kidurong methanol plant and Sarawak’s biggest foreign investment, the proposed US$3b (RM12.4b) Hebei Xinwuan steel factory in Samalaju Industrial Park, Bintulu.
In recent weeks, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed between a China company and the State Government to start a large-scale coconut plantation and processing scheme in Sarawak. Since the China Consulate-General was established in Kuching in 1994, two large China commercial banks, Bank of China and ICBC Bank, have set up branches in the State capital to provide full-fledged banking services to the locals as well as others. Consul-General Cheng said Sarawak’s agriculture sector is a treasure waiting to be exploited.
Tropical fruits which easily grow through the soil in the local climate can be exported to China in unlimited quantities. He said durians, pineapples, coconuts, bananas and other fruits had a ready market in China while palm oil, pepper, sago, and rubber would also be in great demand. Bird’s nest merchants from Sarawak, he added, have already gained a foothold in the 1.4b-people China.
Cheng said China, especially in the last 40 years, has progressed in leaps and bounds. Its people have become rich and are able to spend money on things they need or desire. The One-Belt-One-Road (OBOR) Initiative is China’s effort to help lift the economics of less-developed countries and for the world to attain lasting peace. The Consul-General said in the last six months he has visited a number of cities and towns in the State outside Kuching.
He said, “Tourism is another sector Sarawak can exploit as China alone, every year over 120 million people travel overseas on holiday and shopping.
Imagine if only 5% of these spending tourists come to Sarawak to sample the good food, enjoy the nature beauty, calm and the unique, enviable racial, religious harmony!” Cheng said the people in Sarawak should appreciate the many good things they have and not take them for granted.
He said he was impressed with the State Government’s desire and effort to continuously enhance the ties between China and Sarawak. China, he said, values such warm gestures and will reciprocate with even warmer acts. He added that in 2017, Sarawak’s exports to China amounted to RM10b while imports from China totalled RM5.7b, greatly in favour of Sarawak.
He said he has noticed the flourishing of Chinese education throughout Sarawak and the State Government’s generous yearly grants to the 14 independent Chinese secondary schools. He added that even though China is a bigger country, the relationship between China and Sarawak is mutually beneficial. He is confident that the solid ties between the two neighbours will continue to grow and become stronger.
