His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to deepen cooperation in the field of religion and maintain exchanges of visits between their respective religious affairs departments. The leaders agreed to continue to strengthen such cooperation, especially among the Muslim communities, and for academic research, pilgrimage, public welfare and charity.

A Joint Statement was issued after the two leaders met for a bilateral meeting in Beijing yesterday. His Majesty is in China on a State Visit at the invitation of the Chinese President.

The leaders also recalled the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Brunei and China in Tourism Cooperation signed in September 2006. The leaders expressed the need to strengthen tourism organisations, travel agencies and tour operators; learn from each other’s management experiences and enhance the development of their respective tourism industries.

His Majesty and President Xi emphasised the importance of continuing exchanges and cooperation in education as highlighted in the MoU between both the countries’ Ministries of Education on Cooperation in the field of Higher Education signed in 2004. Both leaders encouraged further efforts in promoting educational linkages between both countries.

The leaders also noted with satisfaction that cultural and sports exchanges between the two countries have been developing well and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in these areas.

His Majesty and President Xi noted with pleasure the implementation of the Plan of Action on Health Cooperation between both the countries’ Ministries of Health for 2012-2015 signed in November 2011.

In this regard, the leaders underlined the importance of continuing to cooperate in training and research in the fields of Health Promotion; Communicable Diseases Control and Surveillance; Traditional Chinese Medicine; Non-communicable Diseases Prevention and Control; Maternal and Child Health; Rehabilitation Medicine; Laboratory Services; and Nursing Services. - Borneo Bulletin (6 April 2013)