KUCHING, Aug 2: Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian has encouraged councillors to do a study tour to China cities such as Dongcheng, which is rich for its history and political importance.
The Local Government and Housing Minister said Dongcheng, one of China’s biggest districts located in Beijing, houses some of the country’s best historical buildings with political importance.
“The Sarawak government welcome this friendship, especially with Dongcheng District, which is one of the biggest and most important in terms of politics and culture because it has a lot of palaces and other important historical buildings in Beijing.
“All the councillors can do a study tour there, since the state government already give yearly funding to do study tour.
“All these are government to government (G2G) relations but the most important is that all these exchanges being education, cultural, economical,” he said in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Kuching City South Council (MBKS) and Dongcheng District, here, today.
MBKS was represented by mayor Datuk James Chan, while the Chinese district was represented by its vice-mayor Zhao Lingyun.
Dr Sim said the bilateral ties established between the two cities could not have come at a better time, considering that this year marks the 45th Anniversary of Malaysia-China Diplomatic Relationship, 25th Anniversary of China Consulate in Kuching and also the 70th year of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Chan said MBKS and Kuching City as a whole, hoped both cities would be able to share their unique culture and have better mutual understanding and respect of each other’s beliefs and traditions, following the MoU.
“Faith and fortune has indeed brought Kuching of Malaysia and Dongcheng of the People’s Republic of China together in a friendship bond and future interchanges of both cities will strengthen the understanding and cooperation of cultural identities.
“Let us, Dongcheng and Kuching City South, hold hands and move together forward towards happy and prosperous future of a better tomorrow,” he said. — DayakDaily
