| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Yang Jian, hosted a dinner reception last night to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
Attending as the guest of honour was Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, who was accompanied by his spouse, Datin Hajah Rosnah binti Pehin Datu Indera Sugara Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Johari.
In a speech the Chinese ambassador recalled the warm relations between Brunei and China, since diplomatic ties were established 24 years ago.
“Since then, our mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation have been growing fast. In the past year, China and Brunei enjoyed continuous progress in bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields.
“Last November, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam attended the APEC meeting in Beijing, and held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.”
Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah, the Minis-ter of Culture, Youth and Sports, Datin Hajah Rosnah binti Pehin Datu Indera Sugara Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Johari, his spouse, and Yang Jian, the Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, during the cake-cutting ceremony. – BAHYIAH BAKIR
She added that delegations from China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan Province had visited Brunei earlier this year; and that the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, had attended the CAEXPO in Nanning for the seventh consecutive year.
“We are glad to see Brunei, together with other member countries, became a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Bilateral cultural and educational exchanges are flourishing, with more Bruneian students going to China for studies, or on tours, this year,” she said.
“The second batch of Chinese volunteers came to Brunei in August, and started to assist teaching in Universiti Brunei Darussalam. The current joint exhibition between China and Brunei in the Maritime Museum has acquainted over 20,000 Bruneian people with the friendly exchanges between our two countries, since ancient times. China supports Brunei’s economic diversification endeavours.”
“We are willing to help Brunei to translate its potentials into greater economic and development advantages, and realise the Brunei Vision of 2035, through closer cooperation in agricultural, fishery, tourism, petrochemical, infrastructure and other fields.”
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