The recent working trip by Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Wong Hon Wai and his delegation to Zhongshan, Guangdong, China forged closer ties with their counterparts in China.
Wong met with the Zhongshan Municipal Government to discuss in depth the foundation and potential for cooperation between the two sides as friendship cities.
“In August 2012, George Town, Penang, and Zhongshan, Guangdong, signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Friendship City Cooperation, under which both sides reached a consensus on promoting exchanges and cooperation in trade and economic affairs, science and technology, culture, tourism and education, laying a solid foundation for friendly relations between Penang and Zhongshan.”
“In 2024, a delegation from the Zhongshan Municipal Government made a special visit to Penang. Two years later, I have led a Penang State Government delegation to Zhongshan for this return visit and to engage with the Zhongshan Municipal Government. This is a concrete manifestation of the continued and reciprocal development of our longstanding friendship.”
“The historical ties between Penang and Zhongshan in fact predate the establishment of our friendship city relationship. The two places are also connected by a profound bond forged through Dr Sun Yat-sen, a great historical figure whose legacy transcends time and geographical boundaries. Zhongshan is the hometown of Dr Sun Yat-sen, while Penang was one of the important overseas bases from which he pursued his revolutionary cause, promoted revolutionary ideals and planned revolutionary activities.”
“Throughout his lifetime, Dr Sun Yat-sen launched nine revolutionary movements and visited Penang five times. During his visits, he promoted revolutionary ideals, raised funds for the revolutionary cause and organised the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance. In 1910, he also convened the influential Penang Conference, which laid important groundwork for the 1911 Revolution.” said Wong in a press statement.
He also added that the profound friendship between Penang and Zhongshan forged through Dr Sun Yat-sen has endured and grown stronger over time, and continues to be passed down among the people of both places. As this year marks the 160th anniversary of Dr Sun Yat-sen’s birth, his grandniece, Ms Alexandra Sun, visited Penang and joined him in personally planting two saplings of a tamarind tree originating from Cuiheng Village in Zhongshan. The parent tree of these two saplings was the tamarind tree personally planted by Dr Sun Yat-sen himself.”
In addition, in July 2026, together with Chong San Wooi Koon (also known as Penang Zhongshan Association), Penang Heritage Trust, Penang Tourist Guides Association and Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang, Wong relaunched the Penang Sun Yat-sen Heritage Trail. He said: “This is a cultural tourism route connecting various historical sites in George Town, aimed at retracing Dr Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary activities in Penang. Dedicated signboards have been installed along the route to document the history of Dr Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary preparations, allowing the public to follow in his historical footsteps and gain a deeper understanding of Penang’s important role in the history of modern China’s revolution.”
“In 2025, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Dr Sun Yat-sen’s passing, the Penang State Government, in collaboration with the Penang Philomathic Union Sun Yat Sen Memorial Centre, organised the ‘Sun Yat-sen and Penang’ International Friendship City Ink and Watercolour Painting Competition. The competition attracted 100 primary and secondary school students, with the winning works representing Penang at the ‘Friendship Cities · Youth Exhibition Commemorating Dr Sun Yat-sen’ organised by the Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government in Zhongshan, China.” he added.
Wong also cited information shared by the Zhongshan Municipal Government during the meeting, noting that the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link officially opened to traffic on 30 June 2024. The major cross-estuary transport infrastructure connecting Shenzhen and Zhongshan spans approximately 24 kilometres. Following its opening, travel time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan has been significantly reduced. Today, travelling from Zhongshan to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport takes approximately 50 minutes.
“Importantly, there are currently direct flights between Shenzhen and Penang, enabling China tourists to fly directly to Penang via Shenzhen Airport. In other words, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link has further shortened the distance between Zhongshan and Shenzhen, indirectly enhancing Penang’s accessibility to travellers from Zhongshan and creating more favourable conditions for further strengthening people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between the two sides,” Wong added.
“The significance of establishing a friendship city relationship goes beyond a memorandum or a formal meeting. More importantly, it is about maintaining continuous exchanges and mutual visits between the two sides, deepening mutual understanding between our governments and allowing the bonds of friendship between our peoples to take root and flourish.”
“Penang looks forward to continuing to work hand in hand with Zhongshan, leveraging our respective strengths and expanding cooperation across more areas on the foundation that has already been established, so that the friendship city relationship between Penang and Zhongshan can continue to progress steadily and endure for generations to come.” he said.
The Zhongshan Municipal Government was represented by Ouyang Jinquan, Vice Mayor of the Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government; Dai Meifeng, Deputy Director-General of the Zhongshan Foreign Affairs Bureau; and Jiang Liqing, Director-General of the Zhongshan Overseas Chinese Affairs Bureau.