By Mohd Khairy Abdullah
DALIAN, May 7, 2026 — Sabah has strengthened its push to emerge as a regional maritime economy player after its trade and investment mission to Dalian, China resulted in the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and three Letters of Intent (LOIs) covering education, technology, maritime industries and blue economy development.
The developments signal Sabah’s increasingly aggressive efforts to build international strategic networks aimed at accelerating the state’s economic transformation, particularly in marine-based industries, logistics and green technology sectors.
The exchange of documents was witnessed by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, Ewon Benedick, together with representatives of the Dalian government during the Dalian-Sabah Trade and Investment Sharing Session: Interactive Dialogue on the Blue Economy Sector held here earlier this week.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving Indo-Pacific economy increasingly driven by maritime industries and sustainable technologies, the Sabah-Dalian partnership is widely seen as strategically significant. Dalian is regarded as one of northern China’s leading maritime and logistics hubs, with strengths in marine technology, shipbuilding, port development and coastal industrialisation, while Sabah offers abundant natural resources, strategic geographical positioning and direct access to South China Sea trade routes.
Among the MoUs signed was a collaboration between Dalian Maritime University and Universiti Malaysia Sabah, expected to pave the way for joint research initiatives, maritime talent development and academic technology exchanges.
Another agreement involved cooperation on drinking water conversion technology for functional water applications between Jetama and Dalian Bowen Software Technology Co. Ltd., reflecting Sabah’s broader efforts to expand smart technology adoption and sustainable solutions in water management.
The three LOIs included cooperation between Dalian Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce and Sekretariat Sabah Maju Jaya, collaboration between Dalian Ocean University and SSMJ, as well as an education partnership between Beijing Open University International Curriculum Center and Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation Sabah.
Speaking at the event, Ewon said the MoUs and LOIs represented more than symbolic economic diplomacy, describing them instead as critical platforms to deepen Sabah’s integration into rapidly expanding regional economic networks.
He said Sabah is positioning itself as a regional hub for maritime trade, logistics, industrial development and blue economy investments across Borneo and Southeast Asia.
“Sabah is strengthening its position as a regional hub for maritime trade, logistics, industrial development and blue economy investments.
“Dalian, meanwhile, is well known as a maritime, logistics and industrial hub with strong capabilities in port development, marine technology, shipbuilding and coastal industrial expansion,” he said.
According to Ewon, the Sabah government is currently focusing on 15 key industries under its blue economy framework, including modern aquaculture, maritime logistics, marine biotechnology, ocean energy technology and marine monitoring systems.
As part of efforts to accelerate the agenda, Sabah is implementing several major strategic projects, including the Blue Economy Industrial Park in Kudat, a desalination project at POIC Lahad Datu and the development of floating solar facilities at Babagon Dam.
Analysts view Sabah’s approach as aligned with shifting global economic trends, where food security, clean energy, water technology and sustainable ocean economies are increasingly becoming new drivers of growth.
Ewon said Sabah welcomes greater participation from Chinese companies and institutions, particularly in technology transfer, capacity building, industrial innovation and high-impact joint ventures.
In a related development, he revealed that Sabah recorded RM7.6 billion in manufacturing investments in 2025, representing a 208 percent increase compared with RM2.47 billion in the previous year.
Of the total, RM6.6 billion came from foreign direct investment (FDI), while RM1 billion was contributed by domestic investments.
The sharp increase is seen as reflecting growing international investor confidence in Sabah’s economic policy stability and its potential as an emerging destination for green industries, maritime development and future-driven economic sectors.
