Timber forms the root of Freezailah Che Yeom's relationship with China.

And that relationship has grown like the trees that link the Malaysian Timber Certification Council chairman to the neighbor of his archipelago homeland.

That's why he won the 2013 Chinese Government Friendship Award in Beijing on Sept 29. The honor is bestowed upon 50 foreigners who've made great contributions in their fields in China.

"The Chinese government still remembers me for my humble contribution. So I feel very honored for being remembered by China."

Freezailah has worked with the Chinese Forestry Academy since the late 1980s.

He was also the first executive director of the International Tropical Timber Organization from 1986 to 1999.

The organization was founded in 1986 under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development with the long-term objective of saving the world's tropical forests.

By setting up international trade standards for tropical timber, the ITTO seeks to strike a balance between conservation and use through sustainable management and a sustainable timber trade.

Freezailah helped China start several international cooperation projects on tropical forest management in Hainan and Yunnan provinces. And more than 30 Chinese forestry scholars received the ITTO's Freezailah Fellowship to conduct research abroad.

Freezailah was later appointed as chairman of the Malaysian Timber Certification Council to develop the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme. The scheme has been endorsed by the world's largest forest certification program, the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.

Freezailah advises China on developing its own certification system.

"Dr Freezailah visits our institute several times each year to give lectures and organize seminars to share his experiences on developing the timber certification scheme," Chinese Academy of Forestry teacher Zhou Xiaoxing says.

"He has given us valuable suggestions to improve China's certification. China has become a large importer and exporter in a world fueled by China's economic and social progress."

Freezailah believes: "The efficiency of China's timber industry is amply demonstrated in its competitiveness in the world timber markets.

"Now many markets want to buy timber which is not only legal but also sustainable. The forest is like the money in the bank - if you only use the interest, you can use it for a long time, but if you cut off all the capital, there will be no more interest."

After receiving the award in Beijing, Freezailah went to Zhejiang province's Anji county to visit the bamboo forests.

Bamboo is considered an environmentally friendly substitute for certain products, such as construction materials, furniture and chopsticks.

Anji is known in China as the "hometown of bamboo" for its forests and products.

"I am most impressed by the bamboo park there," Freezailah says.

"The park is beautifully designed (and) provides interesting information about the cultivation and utilization of bamboo into numerous products."

The Anji Zhuxiang National Forest Park - the name translates as "bamboo town" - contains 16,600 hectares of various bamboo species. It has grown as a tourism attraction since its 1966 founding.

"I am inspired to explore possibilities of establishing a bamboo theme park for eco-tourism in Malaysia," Freezailah says.

"We shall need expertise and assistance from China to establish such a project."

Bamboo is an auspicious symbol in Malaysian culture, too, he explains.

"Perhaps with the assistance of the Chinese government, such a China-Malaysia Friendship Bamboo Park may become a reality in the very near future."

Xing Yi contributed to this story.

sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/03/2013 page5)