China, Brunei see mutual benefits as cooperation deepens

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Since the beginning of this year, economic cooperation and trade between the two countries have expanded rapidly and brought mutual benefits from each other as China becomes one of Brunei's most important partners.

The remote region of Temburong in Brunei is a natural wonderland, while it isn't the easiest place to reach since being separated from the bulk of Brunei's territory by a slice of Malaysia. To resolve the issue, Brunei has contracted the China State Construction Engineering Corporation to build a bridge between the capital Bandar Seri Begawan and the isolated exclave.

In 2019, a 30-kilometer viaduct will bridge the gap, connecting this forested territory of Brunei to the rest of the country and the bay-spanning project will reduce the journey time from Bangar to the capital to only 20 minutes by car.

Agriculture, along with forestry and fisheries, only accounts for a tiny proportion of Brunei's oil-dominated GDP, meaning the sultanate relies almost entirely on imports to meet its nutritional needs.

VCG Photo

Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture from China is looking forward to changing all that.

According to Bruneian media, the Chinese firm is sharing a range of agricultural technologies: from advanced breeding to seed production and cultivation tools.

Like Brunei, Guangxi is also rich in natural resources and has abundant skilled labor resources. Exporters there are hopeful that trade with the Sultanate will help the region connect to buyers in other Muslim countries around the world. And it's not just commodities that are changing hands. Last year, around 52,000 Chinese tourists visited Brunei, more than those from any other country.

With Chinese cities now connected to Brunei by direct flights, two-way exchanges between the countries are likely to grow.