The eastern coastal city of Weihai, Shandong province and Miri, Malaysia signed an agreement to establish friendly cooperative city relations on Nov 12 via online channels.

Weihai, Shandong province and Miri, Malaysia sign an agreement to establish friendly cooperative city relations on Nov 12. [Photo/whnews.cn]

During his online speech, China's Consul General in Kuching Cheng Guangzhong said that the exchanges and cooperation between China and Malaysia in various fields have been developing continuously and the friendship between the two peoples has been deepened.

"The friendly relations between Weihai and Miri will create more opportunities for bilateral economic, trade, educational and cultural exchanges and cooperation to benefit the local people," said Cheng, adding that the Chinese Consulate General in Kuching will continue to play a bridging role and contribute to the friendly relations between China and Malaysia.

Weihai is one of the first coastal cities in China to open up to the outside world, an ecologically livable tourist city and an important marine economic city, while Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak state that focuses on oil, agriculture, shipbuilding and tourism, said Sun Yebao, an official from the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of CPC Shandong Provincial Committee.

The friendly exchanges between Shandong and Sarawak started relatively early, Sun said. He expressed hope that the two sides can establish exchanges and cooperation mechanisms, carry out regular exchanges, strengthen practical cooperation in fishery, seafood processing and marine high-tech industry, promote the establishment of friendly relations between various institutions of higher learning, and jointly hold cultural, educational and youth exchange activities.

"The exchanges between the two sides are highly complementary and enjoy broad prospects for cooperation. I believe that the friendship between Shandong province and Sarawak state will flourish with the establishment of friendly cooperative relations between Weihai and Miri," Sun said.