MALAYSIA AND XI’AN INSIGHTS Issue No.2/ 2019 ISSUE NO. 2 / 2019 JULY - DECEMBER 2019 HOME-BASED STAFF MALAYSIAN CULTURAL NIGHT 2019, 21 SEPTEMBER 2019 Mr. Tan Li Lung Consul General The 2019 Malaysian Cultural Night in Xi’an which was held in conjunction Mr. Mohd Amran Md Ali with the Malaysia-China Education Exchange Programme in Xi’an, was co- Vice Consul hosted by the Consulate General, Education Malaysia Beijing (EMB), MAYCHAM Xi’an Chapter and the Association of Malaysian Students in Mdm. Mazlin Ahmad Kamarudin Shaanxi (AMSISX) on 21 September 2019 at Shangri-La Hotel, Xi’an. Personal Assistant to the Consul General & E-Newsletter Editor Consul General delivered the Consul General officiated the Opening welcoming remarks and officiated the Ceremony of the 2017 Malaysia Food and Malaysian Cultural Night 2019. Cultural Festival on 17 May 2017 at Shangri-La Hotel Xi’an. The 2017 Malaysia Food and Cultural Festival was hosted by the Shangri-La Hotel Xi’an with the support of the Consulate General of Malaysia in Xi’an, Tourism Malaysia, State Government of Terengganu and AirAsia X Berhad. Amongst the attendees at the Festival were the Consul General of the Republic of Korea, Deputy Consul-General of the Royal Thai Consulate General, representatives from the Foreign Affairs Office of Shaanxi Provincial MALAYSIA AND XI’AN INSIGHTS | Issue 2 2 The Guests of Honour was Mr. Yao Jinchuan, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Mr. Zhao Changbao, Deputy Director General of the Shaanxi Provincial Education Department. Mr. Abdul Aziz How bin Abdullah, Education Counsellor of Education Malaysia Beijing, members of the consular corps from Thailand, Cambodia and the Republic of Korea in Xi’an, officials from universities in Shaanxi and Malaysian students in Xi’an also attended the event. The guests were entertained with the colourful traditional dances, choir, sajak (poem) recitation, wushu and Malaysian traditional costumes fashion show, which were performed by the Malaysian students and Chinese students who are majoring in the Bahasa Melayu programme in Xi’an International Studies University (XISU) respectively. The Malaysian students also set up several interesting demonstration booths to introduce the distinctive culture, custom and traditions of Malaysia i.e. jawi calligraphy, batik painting and traditional henna tattoo to the guests. MALAYSIA AND XI’AN INSIGHTS | Issue 2 3 THE 25TH CHINA LANZHOU INVESTMENT AND TRADE FAIR, 4- 6 JULY 2019 th Consul General attended the 25 China Lanzhou Investment and Trade Fair (Lanzhou Fair) from 4-6 July 2019 at the invitation of the Foreign Affairs Office of Gansu Provincial People’s Government. This year’s theme was “Deepening Economic and Trade Cooperation and Working Together to Build a Green Silk Road”. The Lanzhou Fair is the leading yearly event in Gansu Province and an important annual forum for the promotion of trade and investment in northwestern China since 1992. It was attended by high level officials from Gansu Provincial People’s Government, countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, business community, entrepreneurs and investors from local and abroad. YB Sr Tan Kok Yew, Member of the Kedah State Executive Council, Chairman of the Industrial and Investment and Local Government and Housing Standing Committee, and representatives from Invest Kedah Berhad were also invited by the local organisers to attend the Lanzhou Fair from 4 – 8 July 2019. Several side-line events were held, including the Opening Ceremony of the 25th China Lanzhou Investment and Trade Fair & High-end Forum on Silk Road Cooperation, ASEAN Trade Investment Policies Promotion on 4 July 2019, National Logistics Hub Construction Forum on Silk Road Cities Cooperation & Development on 5 July 2019 and Silk Road Economic Belt Circular Agriculture Industrial Development Seminar on 6 July 2019. Lanzhou, Gansu Province The Capital on the Shores of the Yellow River One of the main tourist attractions in Lanzhou is the Yellow River. It’s worthwhile to visit the park and to go for a long walk along the shores of the river, both during the daytime and the night time. Another attraction beside the river is the Waterwheel Garden (水车博览园), a small park with various replicas of the old waterwheels that were previously found in the city. MALAYSIA AND XI’AN INSIGHTS | Issue 2 4 WORKING VISIT BY YAB CHIEF MINISTER OF KEDAH TO XI’AN, 12-14 AUGUST 2019 YAB Dato’ Seri Haji Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, Chief Minister of Kedah, made a working visit to Xi’an, Shaanxi Province from 12 – 14 August 2019. The delegation consisted YB Sr Tan Kok Yew, Member of State Executive Council (Industry & Investment, Local Government and Housing), Dr. Muhammad Mahadi Bin Mohamad, Chief Executive Officer of Chief Minister Kedah Incorporated and Mr. Noor Ikhsan Bin Haji Abdul Aziz, General Manager of Invest Kedah Berhad. YAB Chief Minister was also accompanied by his spouse YABhg. Tok Puan Norzieta Zakaria. During the 2½-day working visit, the Chief Minister held a courtesy meeting with H.E. Mr. Hu Heping, Secretary of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and visited the Yangling Agricultural High-tech Demonstration Zone on 13 and 14 August respectively. The Chief Minister was invited to appear as a special guest in the ‘Meet on the New Silk Road’ programme of Shaanxi TV. Kedah and Shaanxi are committed to establish bilateral collaboration in the fields of trade, investment, education and academic exchanges of researchers who specialises in the studies of archaeological sites. MALAYSIA AND XI’AN INSIGHTS | Issue 2 5 12TH PALM OIL HEALTH AND NUTRITION FORUM, 8 SEPTEMBER 2019 th Consul General were invited to attend the 12 Palm Oil Health and Nutrition Forum organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and Shaanxi Nutrition Society on 8 September 2019 in Xi’an. The Forum was themed “Palm Oil: A Nutritious Oil for Healthy Lifestyle”. The MPOB delegation was led by its Director General Dr. Ahmad Parveez bin Hj. Ghulam Kadir. The Forum was aimed at deliberating nutrition and health issues related to palm oil and sharing of the latest nutrition research findings related with palm oil to health and nutrition experts and industry practitioners from China, particularly Shaanxi Province. Consul General delivered the welcoming remarks as the Guest of Honour. WORKING VISIT OF YB DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER OF SABAH TO XI’AN, 22-25 SEPTEMBER 2019 YB Datuk Christina Liew Chin Jin, Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah cum Minister of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, made a working visit to Xi’an, Shaanxi Province from 22 – 25 September 2019. The 12-member delegation from the Sabah State Government consisted YBhg. Datuk Nordin Siman, Mayor of Kota Kinabalu, Mr. William Baya, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah and officials from Sabah Tourism Board. Consul General accompanied YB Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah to a courtesy meeting with Mr. Li Mingyuan, Mayor of Xi’an on 23 September 2019 at the Xi’an Municipal Hall. The leaders subsequently witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Friendship and Cooperation between Kota Kinabalu and Xi’an by Datuk Nordin Siman, Mayor of Kota Kinabalu and Mr. Wang Lin, Vice-Mayor of Xi’an Municipal People’s Government. Both sides pledged to promote tourism cooperation, places of interest, tourism players, cultural exchange, education programmes, resource sharing and to promote closer collaboration between the two cities in other related areas. MALAYSIA AND XI’AN INSIGHTS | Issue 2 6 THE NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, 27 SEPTEMBER 2019 Consul General and Vice Consul were invited to attend the Reception in the Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China hosted by the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People’s Government on 27 September 2019 at Fuli Hilton, Xi’an. Consul General extended his warm felicitations and delivered a short speech during the reception on behalf of Consular Corps in Xi’an, Chengdu and Chongqing, on this auspicious occasion. Consul General extended warm congratulations to the leaders and officials from the Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Provincial People’s Government in celebration of this momentous milestone in the history of the People’s Republic of China. Consul General also had the opportunity to interact with the leaders of Shaanxi including Mr. Hu Heping, Secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial People’s Congress, Mr. Liu Guozhong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Governor of Shaanxi Provincial People’s Government, Mr. Han Yong, Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Political Consultative Conference and other distinguished guests at the Reception. MALAYSIA AND XI’AN INSIGHTS | Issue 2 7 PHOTO EXHIBITION SHOWCASING 70 YEARS' DEVELOPMENT SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, 10 OCTOBER 2019 Consul General and Vice Consul were invited to attend the Photo Exhibition showcasing 70 Years' Development since the Founding of the People's Republic of China organised by the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People’s Government on 10 October 2019 at Xi’an Qujiang International Conference and Exhibition Center. The exhibition provided the Consular Corps the opportunity to view many historical photos and they were also briefed about important milestones in the remarkable socio-economic developments achieved by Shaanxi Province since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October 1949. THE 8TH WESTERN CHINA MULTI-NATIONAL SOURCING FAIR & CHINA (XI'AN) IMPORT COMMODITIES, 11 OCTOBER 2019 Consul General attended the Opening Ceremony of the 8th Western China Multi-National Sourcing Fair & China (Xi'an) Import Commodities hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shaanxi Sub-Council (CCPIT Shaanxi) on 11 October 2019 at the Qujiang International Conference & Exhibition Center.