Photo captions – Sabah Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Datuk Jamawi Jaafar (centre) and representatives from various organisations listen as MCCC Sabah Branch President Datuk Dexter Lau (right) briefs them on preparations and arrangements for the “Malaysia-China Guangzhou Industrial Visit and Business Networking Dinner”.
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah President Datuk Dexter Lau led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Sabah Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Datuk Jamawi bin Jaafar to brief him on preparations for the upcoming “Malaysia-China Guangzhou Industrial Visit and Business Networking Dinner”. The meeting also provided an opportunity to exchange views on strengthening Malaysia-China economic and trade ties and exploring further industrial cooperation opportunities.
Datuk Dexter Lau said the delegation is scheduled to visit Guangzhou from November 11 to 14, 2026, with 100 MCCC Sabah council members and members joining the trip. Their strong participation reflects the business community’s keen interest in expanding Malaysia-China trade relations and actively exploring new business opportunities.
In addition to MCCC Sabah council members and members, the delegation will also bring together ministers, government department representatives, business leaders and media representatives, forming a diverse group with political and business connections, industry expertise and media outreach capabilities.
He said the participation of 100 council members and members demonstrates not only the unity and cohesion within the chamber, but also the Sabah business community’s interest in the Chinese market and cross-border cooperation opportunities. Through this collective visit, delegates will have the opportunity to engage directly with Chinese government representatives, enterprises and chambers of commerce, gain deeper insights into local industrial development and market trends, and establish broader business connections.
“We are very pleased to see such a positive response from our council members, members and government and business representatives in joining this Guangzhou visit. This is more than an industrial visit; it is an important initiative that brings the Sabah government and business community together to explore opportunities and deepen engagement.
“We hope every delegate will gain something meaningful from this trip and turn the connections established, insights gained and business opportunities identified into momentum for future cooperation and business development,” he said.
The itinerary will cover agriculture, commerce and related industries. The delegation will also engage in networking sessions with Chinese government representatives, senior corporate executives and chambers of commerce to enhance mutual understanding of each other’s markets and industries, while exploring potential opportunities in trade, investment and industrial cooperation.
Datuk Dexter Lau said the Guangzhou visit aims to foster more substantive Malaysia-China partnerships by establishing direct links between Sabah’s business community and Chinese government bodies, enterprises and chambers of commerce, while identifying shared needs and areas for collaboration.
“We hope this visit will be more than a brief exchange. It should mark the beginning of deeper understanding and mutual trust between both sides. The real value of business networking lies in identifying areas where we can work together and following through consistently to turn intentions into tangible results,” he said.
During the meeting, Datuk Dexter Lau also expressed his sincere appreciation to Datuk Jamawi Jaafar for his strong support for the *Malaysia-China Guangzhou Government and Business Exchange, Industrial Visit and Business Networking Dinner*, as well as for coordinating the participation of officials from relevant departments in the Guangzhou visit.
The officials joining the delegation include the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Ts. Hj. Jifrin Hj. Mohamad; the Minister’s Public Relations Secretary, Dr Awang Faisal Assyiffa bin Ag. Rahim; Sabah Agriculture Department Director Jackson Ronald Jaimi; Sabah Fisheries Department Director Lawrence Kissol Jr; General Manager of the Sabah Fishermen and Fisheries Development Cooperative (Ko- Nelayan) Datuk Haji Yusof bin Ag. Besar; and General Manager of the Sabah Fish Marketing Sdn Bhd (SAFMA)Burhan bin Japar, among others.
Their participation is expected to strengthen exchanges between Malaysia and China in agriculture, fisheries and the food industry, while creating further opportunities to explore future cooperation in these sectors.
He emphasised that MCCC Sabah would continue to serve as a bridge between businesses and relevant stakeholders, helping member companies access resources and connect with potential partners. The chamber aims to move beyond networking and facilitate meaningful commercial and industrial collaboration.
In addition to corporate visits and business matching, the delegation will visit Sun Yat-sen University, where Datuk Jamawi Jaafar is scheduled to deliver a speech and share his experiences and insights with university students. Delegates will also attend an artificial intelligence (AI) course delivered by university professors, gaining knowledge from different fields and broadening their international perspectives.
Datuk Dexter Lau said the university programme was designed to give delegates opportunities to acquire knowledge and perspectives beyond industrial visits and business networking. As industrial landscapes and technological applications continue to evolve, he noted that businesses must continuously update their knowledge and understand emerging trends to better prepare for future development.
He added that Sabah has development potential in agriculture, food and related industries. Through the visit, the delegation hopes to gain further insights into China’s industrial experience and create favourable conditions for future cooperation in product trade, industrial investment and technology exchange.
The Guangzhou visit combines government and business engagement, industrial exploration and university learning, with the aim of establishing a broader platform for Malaysia-China exchanges and opening new avenues for Sabah’s business community to explore cross-border cooperation.
Also present during the courtesy visit were MCCC Sabah Deputy President Kapitan (Dr) Callee Tan Kai Lee; Vice President and Chairman of the “Malaysia-China Guangzhou Industrial Visit and Business Networking Dinner” Organising Committee Louis Su; Vice President and Deputy Organising Committee Chairman Jacky Chin; Vice President Yong Siew Lee; and Deputy Director of Public Relations Datuk Yong Wei Hau.
