Brunei economy promising: envoy

By James Kon

(From left) Pehin Onn, Robert Koh and Mr Wei Wei.

Ambassador of the People Republic of China Mr Wei Wei said this during a welcoming dinner hosted by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce for the ambassador and his wife at the Li Gong Restaurant of the Empire Hotel and Country Club on Saturday.

He said as the world economy is slowing down due to the war and the effects of SARS, Brunei economy will also be affected. However, he stressed that as long as the people of this country work together with confidence and under the leadership of His Majesty, they can overcome any obstacles.

Mr Wei Wei also said that the Chinese Chamber of Commerce is a very influential association in Brunei and he hopes that the friendship will continue to grow between the association and the People Republic of China.

On the SARS epidemic, Mr Wei Wei said that he has no idea where the disease came from even though initial reports had said that it started in Guangdong, China. He said the Chinese government has done a lot to contain the epidemic.

He added that the epidemic is not so serious as people thought and that some newspapers have exaggerated the problem.

Over the dinner, Mr Wei Wei and the members of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce discussed current issues. The President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Mr Robert Koh Hoe Kiat and the members of the Board of Directors also presented a gift to the ambassador.

Also present at the dinner was Pehin Onn.

Robert Koh, in his opening remark, said that economic cooperation between Brunei and China was strengthened after China joined the World Trade Organisation.

He said that export of crude oil from Brunei to China reached 1 billion in the year 2001 and the following year it increased to 2.64 billion and it is expected to grow to 3 billion this year.