Sabah-Dalian's inked collaboration and intent in education, technology, maritime and blue economy sectors.

CHINA : The Sabah-Dalian trade cooperation mission marked a new chapter in strategic collaboration with the signing of two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and three letters of intent (LOIs) covering the education, technology, maritime and blue economy sectors.

The exchange of documents was witnessed by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship, Datuk Ewon Benedick, together with representatives from the Dalian government during the Dalian-Sabah Trade and Investment Sharing Session: Interactive Dialogue on the Blue Economy Sector here on Monday.

Among the agreements signed were an MoU between Dalian Maritime University and Universiti Malaysia Sabah, as well as a collaboration on drinking water conversion technology for functional water applications between Jetama and Dalian Bowen Software Technology Co Ltd.

The three LOIs involved a friendship and cooperation initiative between the Dalian Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce and the Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat, a partnership between Dalian Ocean University and the Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat, as well as cooperation between the Beijing Open University International Curriculum Center and Sabah’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

In his speech, Ewon said the MoUs and LOIs reflected the strong ties between Malaysia and China while opening wider opportunities for economic cooperation between Sabah and Dalian in trade, investment, industry and the blue economy sector.

He said Sabah is strategically positioned to strengthen trade relations and attract high-value investments, particularly in the blue economy sector.

“Sabah is strengthening its position as a regional hub for maritime trade, logistics, industrial development and blue economy investments.

“Dalian is well known as a maritime, logistics and industrial hub with strengths in port development, marine technology, shipbuilding and coastal industrial development,” he said.

Ewon said Sabah is currently focusing on 15 key industries under its blue economy framework, including aquaculture, maritime logistics, marine biotechnology, ocean energy technology and ocean monitoring.

“Sabah is also implementing several major projects, including the Kudat Blue Economy Industrial Park, the desalination project at POIC Lahad Datu and the development of floating solar facilities at Babagon Dam,” he said.

He added that Sabah welcomed strategic cooperation with partners from China, particularly Dalian, in areas such as technology transfer, knowledge sharing, capacity building and joint ventures in high-impact sectors.

Ewon also invited the Dalian government and companies to explore investment opportunities and strategic partnerships in Sabah.

Separately, he said Sabah recorded RM7.6 billion in manufacturing investments in 2025, a 208 per cent increase compared with RM2.47 billion in the previous year.

Of the total, RM6.6 billion comprised foreign direct investment (FDI), while RM1 billion came from domestic investment, he added.