KOTA KINABALU: Investments from China, Sabah’s largest trading partner, surpassed RM12.39 billion over the last five years, says the state’s Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoon Jin Zhe.

He said Sabah recorded the fastest growth in industrial development in the country last year, driven by investments from China.

Phoon said this when receiving courtesy visit of a business delegation led by Yang Dina, general manager of Citic Environtech Ltd/Wuhan Newfiber Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. from China’s Henan and Hubei provinces last Friday, referred by Sabah-China Chamber of Commerce president Datuk Frankie Liew.

The Sabah state government has set up a one-stop centre to facilitate collaboration between Sabah and China.

Sabah is investment-friendly and strategically located, said Phoon, adding that it has close connection with China in shipping and air transport.

As the Sabah airport is the second busiest in Malaysia, it has 82 weekly flights to nine destinations across China.

Another 12 flight connections are slated for next year, making Sabah among the airports with most flight connections to China in Southeast Asia.

Sabah is also the only state in Malaysia allowed to export to China directly, said Phoon, adding that cargo shipped from China would typically arrive in the state in just three days.

“Sabah hopes to have more advanced technology transfer and industrial chain especially in natural resources and mineral resources to assist Sabah’s exports to China,” he said.

Phoon also said he was looking forward to more collaborations with China for a win-win in economy.

“Last year, Malaysia’s manufacturing sector yield expanded by 0.8%, while it was 4.4% for Sabah,” he said.