Marking 50 years of M’sia-China ties
Two-part documentary highlighting sister industrial parks to be aired in both countries on May 31

A DOCUMENTARY to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China will be aired simultaneously over Radio and Television Malaysia (RTM) and Guangxi Radio and Television (GXRTV) at 9.20pm on May 31.

The documentary showcases the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) in Pahang and China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (CMQIP) in Guangxi.

Developed in 2012 and 2013 respectively, CMQIP and MCKIP are sister industrial parks.

Located near seaports, both the industrial parks cater for medium and heavy industries and consist of residential and commercial areas with amenities like schools and hospitals.

Produced by GXRTV and titled The Great Tie between China and Malaysia – the two-part documentary features 30-minute episodes.

A preview of the documentary was held at the Malaysia Chinese Business Council (MCBC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, where some 20 guests watched the two episodes back to back.

Still shots from the documentary showing work in progress on the East Coast Rail Link.

To highlight the significance of interconnectivity which can be achieved by businesses operating at these two industrial parks, the first episode began with how a Chinese pottery company had struck a deal with a logistics group to market Musang King durian from Raub in Pahang at their store in Guangxi.

Also featured in the same episode were MCBC director and CMQIP deputy board chairman Datuk Beh Hang Kong. It was Beh who had proposed to the Malaysian government the idea of a sister industrial park.

Also present at the special documentary screening were Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong and Malaysian ambassador to China Datuk Norman Muhamad.

The documentary’s second episode featured a love story blooming between a Malaysian project manager and a Chinese national, who met during a signing ceremony to mark Kuantan and Qinzhou as sister ports.

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) was also highlighted in the second episode. It was mentioned that the 650km railway line would act as a “land bridge” between the east and west coasts of Peninsular Malaysia where travel time from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Baru in Kelantan can be cut by up to eight hours.

Chinese and Malaysian employees at the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park.

When the documentary ended, the audience were invited to give comments.

Among those who shared their thoughts were MCBC tourism board committee member Dr Ronald Pua who said more emphasis should be given to the volume of trade happening between the two industrial parks.

Malaysia-China Friendship Association president Datuk Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan said the documentary captured the history and the development of both the industrial parks and their respective ports very well.

“In highlighting the progress of the ECRL, they also show the audience what kind of skills are needed for the production of railway tracks,” said Abdul Majid.

In making the documentary, director Qin Tong of GXRTV said it took her crew five months to carry out filming and post-production work.

Qin with GXRTV deputy director Yang Hua and section co-production and project editing director Guo Yuanzi were in Kuala Lumpur to meet with RTM to finalise broadcast details.

Details on which RTM channel the documentary will be aired will be provided at a later date.

At the end of the session, each guest was presented with the gift of a teacup by GXRTV.
A DOCUMENTARY to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China will be aired simultaneously over Radio and Television Malaysia (RTM) and Guangxi Radio and Television (GXRTV) at 9.20pm on May 31.