More than 100 years ago, Huang Naishang, a native of Fuzhou, led more than a thousand people "to Nanyang" and opened up a "new Fuzhou" in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Today, Fujian and Malaysia have given full play to their complementary advantages, deepened practical cooperation, and jointly built the "Belt and Road" initiative, which has yielded fruitful results.
From May 11th to 14th, Zhou Zuyi, secretary of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee, led a delegation from Fujian Province to visit Malaysia to carry out economic, trade and cultural exchanges. Zheng Yi, director of the Department of Business Administration, School of Economics and Management, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency on the 16th. Fujian Province, the core area of the Century Maritime Silk Road, and Malaysia continue to expand practical cooperation in multiple fields, with huge space and broad prospects.
At present, Fujian Province and Sarawak State, Xiamen City and Penang Island City, Quanzhou City and Kuching South City, Putian City and Sibu City, and Ningde City and Sibu City have established friendship cities. Since the establishment of the friendship, the two sides have frequently exchanged visits and formed a pragmatic and efficient cooperation through various forms of exchange activities in various fields.
"Sending the king ship" is a folk custom widely spread in the coastal areas of Fujian and Malacca, Malaysia, to relieve disasters and pray for peace. In December 2020, the project "Send the King Ship - Rituals and related practices related to the sustainable connection between people and the ocean" jointly declared by China and Malaysia was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, leaving behind A good story about China and Malaysia's joint application for World Heritage.
In December 2020, the "Send the King Ship" event was held at Lanhai Palace in Zhongzhai She Ethnic Community in Xiamen, Fujian.
In 1921, Tan Kah Kee, a patriotic overseas Chinese leader, returned to his hometown and devoted his capital to founding Xiamen University. After about 90 years, the Xiamen University Malaysia branch was under preparation and welcomed its first batch of students in 2016. This is the first overseas branch campus established by a mainland Chinese university, and it also makes Malaysia the only overseas country with a complete Chinese education system.
Overseas Chinese are the bridge for pragmatic cooperation between Fujian and Malaysia. The Fujian delegation visited Malaysia this time, not only inspecting Chinese business enterprises and having in-depth exchanges with Fujian Chinese businessmen, but also inspecting Chinese newspapers, visiting Chinese associations, and visiting Chinese teachers. Zhou Zuyi expressed the hope that the majority of folks and associations will actively participate in the construction of New Fujian, and expand new space for career development in mutual benefit and win-win; give full play to their advantages and channels, promote Fujian more, and lead more friends from all walks of life in Malaysia to come to Fujian to share business opportunities, promote cooperation, Win-win future.
