Sibu formalises over 120 years of historical ties with China’s Minqing through friendship agreement
by Michael Ubam · Borneo Post OnlineSIBU (Nov 5): Sibu has formalised its longstanding historical and cultural ties with Minqing County in Fujian Province, China, through a Friendship City Agreement aimed at preserving shared heritage and strengthening future cooperation.
Caretaker Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the agreement was particularly meaningful given Sibu’s strong Fuzhou heritage, with many of its early settlers tracing their ancestry to Minqing.
“Sibu is widely known as Little Foochow, and Minqing has a very special place in our history because many of our Fuzhou forefathers came from there,” he said during the signing ceremony at the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) headquarters here today.
He said people of Minqing ancestry had contributed significantly to Sibu’s development, including prominent community leaders and business figures.
Among them was Wong Nai Siong, who led the early Fuzhou settlers to Sibu, and Lau Ka Tu, the first Kapitan appointed by the Brooke government.
Other notable figures included current Sibu Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau Lee Ming, former SMC chairman Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chiew, former deputy minister Datuk Tiong Thai King and the late Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Dr Wong Soon Kai.
Wong King Huo, after whom a road in Sibu was named, was another prominent figure from the community.
Dr Sim said the agreement reflected a shared commitment to preserving the historical connection while creating opportunities for future exchanges and cooperation.
“This friendship is not just about signing an agreement. It is about recognising our shared roots, preserving our heritage and strengthening the relationship for the benefit of future generations,” he said.
The agreement builds on a memorandum of understanding signed by Tiong on Feb 22, 2011.
Dr Sim said efforts to renew the agreement followed a recommendation by Fujian officials after a senior provincial official visited Sibu on Nov 28 last year.
SMC subsequently signed a Letter of Intent during a visit to Minqing County on Dec 14, 2025, paving the way for the formal agreement.
The Minqing delegation at the signing ceremony was led by Deputy County Magistrate Liu Fengsong.
Meanwhile, SMC chairman Clarence Ting described the agreement as another milestone in a relationship spanning more than 120 years.
He said the historical connection dated back to the arrival of Fuzhou settlers led by Wong Nai Siong, who established a settlement that later became known as New Fuzhou.
“Today marks not only an important milestone in the development of relations between our two places, but also the continuation of a friendship rooted in more than a century of shared history and the beginning of a new chapter of cooperation,” he said.
Ting said Minqing represented more than just a friendship city to Sibu, as it remained an important part of the community’s ancestral roots and cultural heritage.
Also present were Minqing County Investment Promotion Office deputy director Wu Yu; Caretaker State Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang; Bukit Assek incumbent Joseph Chieng; SMC deputy chairman Mohammed Abdullah Izkandar Dato Roseley; Sibu Division Chinese Community Leaders Association president Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau Lee Ming; Pemanca Datuk Jason Tai Hee and Sibu Minqing Association chairman Cr JBK Lau Khing Hung.