KOTA KINABALU: China's Foreign Minister was in Sabah on a personal capacity.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said Wang Yi was on a tour visit involving several countries.
It was reported that Wang Yi, who is also the Republic's state councillor, was on a 10-day island-hopping visit to Pacific Island countries, starting from May 26.
He concluded his tour last Saturday with a meeting with President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta in Dili, Timor-Leste's capital city.
"We are glad that he has chosen Sabah for his rest (stopover) for two nights. When we met, we were having a chit-chat.
"I asked whether he had climbed Mount Kinabalu yesterday and he told me that he managed to make it half way. I also shared with him that I had climbed the mountain last year and made it to the summit.
"I have also invited him to come back again for a longer rest day (in Sabah) with (his) family members," Kitingan said after the Double Six tragedy's commemoration day today.
Last month, Kitingan had urged the federal government to take serious action in defending the region's maritime sovereignty in view of the overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea.
When asked if he had raised this issue with Wang Yi, Kitingan replied in the negative.
"No. He didn't come here on an official capacity. He's here for a private visit. We didn't talk about official things."
A few days ago, Kitingan issued a statement saying that China was interested in Sabah's palm oil industry and its investment opportunities, as well as bilateral trade into the Bornean state.