On 16 September 2013, the Consulate General of Malaysia in Guangzhou hosted the National Day / Malaysia Day Reception. Among those who attended the event, other than Malaysians community, were foreign and local officials as well as local and foreign business people. About 200 hundred guests attended the event which was held at the Hilton Hotel Guangzhou. In his speech, the Consul General of Malaysia, Mr. Francisco Munis also took the opportunity to thank local and foreign guests and the Malaysian community for the continuous support to Malaysia.
The Consul General also remarked that over the last 39 years since Malaysia and China established diplomatic ties in 1974, bilateral relations were well enriched, resulting broad and diverse interactions and exchanges, spanning into variety of areas. Abundant of opportunities were created for peoples from both country. Looking back to 1993, as part of the enrichment effort, Malaysia established its first mission in southeast China, the Consulate General of Malaysia in Guangzhou, Guangdong. As a result, bilateral exchanges in the southeast China region comprising the Provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangxi and Hainan became active, contributing highly to the momentum of bilateral growth between Malaysia and China. Today, this southeast region remains, to offer continuous opportunities for Malaysia especially in the four main sectors of trade, investment, tourism and education.
Citing trade exchange as an example, the Consul General informed that based on the Malaysian statistics, in 2012 total bilateral trade between Malaysia and China reached an impressive USD 94.77 billion from a mere USD 11.40 billion in 2002. Of this amount, USD 58.25 billion makes up the total export to China and USD 36.53 billion total imports from China. The total bilateral trade figure is expected to break the USD 100 billion mark by the year 2015. Positively, the Chinese statistics anticipates bilateral trade to break the USD 100 billion mark by 2013 from an impressive USD 90 billion last year.
Locally as for Guangdong, the trade figure also illustrates its importance. Of the total 2012 bilateral trade, USD 30 billion came from Guangdong. Guangdong continues to contribute in boosting economic interaction between Malaysia and China. For that, Malaysia values highly its presence in Guangdong and in southeast China.
Speaking in Bahasa Malaysia, the Consul General also took the opportunity to remind Malaysians that they need to celebrate these national days as it brought deep meaning for Malaysians and Malaysia. The Consul General stressed that the hard work of the current generation and the generations before, in ensuring Malaysia to continue to be peaceful and prosperous since attaining independence ought to be remembered and continue. For that, he called on all Malaysian citizens residing in southeast China to continue sustaining with utmost dedication in upholding Malaysia’s sovereignty and good name by being law-abiding citizens, creating the atmosphere of high confidence towards Malaysians as professional, hardworking and trustworthy people as well as to love the country by protecting its interest wherever Malaysians may be.
To conclude his speech, the Consul General also touched on the year 2014 which will mark the 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Malaysia and China where both countries have agreed that the year 2014 will be celebrated as the “Malaysia-China Friendship Year” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations. In that connection, the Consul General encouraged both Malaysian and Chinese people, government and corporate officials as well as all Friends of Malaysia to help promote in ways deem suitable, the Friendship Year in their activities relating to Malaysia-China. The combine effort will surely create greater awareness amongst people of both nations, the importance of Malaysia-China Friendship.
