Sabahan appointed International Coffee Promotion Ambassador

KOTA KINABALU (March 8): A delegation from the Young Entrepreneurs Committee of the Sabah China Chamber of Commerce (SCCC Young Entrepreneurs) recently visited Jiangmen, Guangdong, known as China’s “Capital of Overseas Chinese,” to participate in a series of business and cultural exchange activities.

These included attending the Qiaodu Coffee Industry Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference, visiting the China Qiaodu Overseas Chinese Museum, and meeting with the Jiangmen Returned Overseas Chinese Federation, with the aim of strengthening economic and cultural ties between Sabah, Malaysia and China’s overseas Chinese hometowns.

During their stay in Jiangmen, the delegation attended the Qiaodu Coffee Industry Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference and witnessed the Qiaodu Coffee · Global Coffee Origins Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony.

According to the organizers, the China Qiaodu (Jiangmen) Coffee Festival has been successfully held for three consecutive editions, with its scale and industry influence continuing to expand.

The previous event attracted more than 500,000 visitors and sold over 250,000 cups of coffee, gradually becoming an important city brand promoting local consumption and the development of the coffee industry.

At the event, SCCC Vice President Chiew Heng Hock was jointly appointed as an International Coffee Promotion Ambassador by the Jiangmen Overseas Chinese Federation, the Jiangmen World Youth Development Center and the Qiaodu Coffee Global Industry Alliance.

The organizers expressed hope that overseas Chinese business networks could help strengthen the international promotion of the Qiaodu coffee brand and foster industry cooperation with Southeast Asian regions.

Chiew said that Sabah possesses abundant natural resources and unique potential for coffee development, and expressed hope that in the future both sides could explore deeper collaboration in areas such as coffee industry supply chains, brand promotion, and international market development.

In addition to industry exchanges, the delegation also visited the China Qiaodu Overseas Chinese Museum, where they gained deeper insights into the history of overseas Chinese communities and their development abroad. The museum houses a wealth of historical materials, including the story of Zheng Chaojiong, an overseas Chinese figure who once lived in Sandakan, North Borneo (present-day Sabah). During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Zheng mobilized overseas Chinese communities to raise funds in support of China and advocated the idea that “only with a nation can there be a home,” reflecting the strong patriotic spirit of overseas Chinese communities.

During the visit, Li Junyi, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice Chairman of the Jiangmen Overseas Chinese Federation, personally accompanied the SCCC Young Entrepreneurs delegation and introduced the historical contributions of overseas Chinese pioneers in developing communities abroad and supporting their ancestral homeland.

The visit allowed the delegation to gain a deeper understanding of the spirit of overseas Chinese and the cultural heritage of Jiangmen.

The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to the Jiangmen Returned Overseas Chinese Federation, where they met with Lin Chunhui, Party Secretary and Chairman, and Li Junyi, Vice Chairman. Both sides exchanged views on topics such as overseas Chinese resource connectivity, youth entrepreneur exchanges, and economic and trade cooperation.

During the exchange, SCCC Young Entrepreneurs Chairman Hong Jia Hao noted that Sabah is a multicultural society with a strong Chinese cultural foundation, and welcomed the Jiangmen Overseas Chinese Federation to organize more cultural and youth exchange programs in Sabah in the future.

He added that such initiatives would help promote the preservation of Chinese culture overseas while further strengthening people-to-people ties between Malaysia and China.

Jiangmen is widely known as “China’s Capital of Overseas Chinese” and has deep historical ties with Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia. The delegation expressed that strengthening engagement with overseas Chinese institutions will help promote cooperation between the two regions in economic, cultural, and youth exchange fields.,

The delegation from SCCC Young Entrepreneurs also toured local enterprises including Carpoly Chemical Group Co., Ltd. and Jiangmen Weiyin Industrial Co., Ltd.

Through on-site visits and exchanges, the delegation gained deeper insights into the development of China’s manufacturing sector, particularly in industrial upgrading, technological innovation, and international market expansion, while exploring potential avenues for future Malaysia–China business collaboration.

During the visit to Carpoly Chemical Group Co., Ltd., Deputy General Manager of the International Business Unit, Simon He, briefed the delegation on the current state of China’s coatings industry. He noted that the domestic coatings market is highly competitive and gradually approaching saturation, requiring companies to continuously seek breakthroughs through stronger research and development, product innovation, and improved business models.

He added that Carpoly has been actively promoting artistic coatings, offering a comprehensive “materials and workmanship inclusive” solution that allows distributors to expand their markets more effectively while providing customers with professional and high-quality application services. This approach helps create a win-win ecosystem for the company, distributors, and end users.

The delegation later visited Jiangmen Weiyin Industrial Co., Ltd., a company specializing in the production and processing of tissue and household paper products. Chairman Ou Yaozong shared that as competition in China’s domestic tissue market intensifies, the company has been actively expanding into overseas markets and strengthening its export business.

He explained that the company mainly operates through OEM/ODM order-based production, customizing product specifications, packaging designs, and quality standards according to the needs of clients from different countries, enabling the company to better respond to international market demands.

Ou also noted that current geopolitical developments have affected export operations. For instance, the recent tensions between Iran and the United States have restricted certain shipping routes, with some vessels unable to enter high-risk areas, creating logistical challenges and increasing transportation costs. As a result, companies must continuously adjust their supply chain strategies to mitigate such risks.

During the exchange session, Chiew introduced Sabah’s development landscape and investment environment to the companies and invited them to visit Sabah in the future to explore potential cooperation opportunities.

Meanwhile, Hong noted that Sabah has a stable demand for tissue products and that local sales are performing well. He suggested that if companies were to consider establishing manufacturing or processing facilities in Sabah, it could help reduce transportation costs and delivery time while providing closer access to the Southeast Asian market.

Chiew added that strengthening exchanges between enterprises could further promote deeper cooperation between Malaysia and China in manufacturing and trade, creating mutual benefits for both sides.