The Malaysia-China Friendship Association of Sabah (hereinafter referred to as SMCFA) was founded on 12 December 2012 with the approval of Malaysia's governmental organization registration authority. It is an important intermediary for Sabah's communication and interaction with the outside world. The SMCFA serves as a platform built up by local young people of various ethnicities and of like mind for more exchange between Sabah, which is featured by diverse culture and rich resources, and regions across China in the context of increasingly closer communication between Malaysia and China. The association was praised many times by the Chief Minister of Sabah and other senior government officials from Embassy of the P.R.China in Malaysia, Consulate-General of the P.R.China in Kota Kinabalu, Embassy of Malaysia in the P.R.China and the Consulates General of Malaysia in P.R.China, for its devotion to building and strengthening good-fellowship between people and governments of Malaysia, particularly Sabah, and China. The SMCFA aims to facilitate and strengthen amity between Malaysia and China to bring mutual benefits to their people, promote commerce, education and cultural communication between the two countries, and allow the Sabahan to get a foot in highly promising Chinese market and attract Chinese enterprises for investment and trade in Sabah. The association will be committed to facilitating friendship between people of Malaysia and China and strengthening bilateral cooperation so as to create a win-win situation, said Mr. Hu Yishan, the first President of the association. The SMCFA will definitely play a proactive part in promoting friendship and partnership between Sabah and China, said Mr. Li Shugang, Consul General of China in Kuching, Malaysia. Mr. Li hoped that the association will adhere to its tenet, and make further contributions to friendly relationship between China and Malaysia as a bridge and a tie.