(Sept. 29^th 2008, Capital Hotel)

Your Honourable Mr. Henry Mumba, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,

Your Honourable Mr. Louis Chimango, the Speaker of the National Assembly, DeputySpeaker and Parliament Members Present Here,

Your Lordship Mr.Lovemore Munlo, the Chief Justice,

Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the Cabinet, and Senior Government Officials

Your Excellency Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors, High Commissioners,

Fellow Chinese Compatriots,

Dear Press Friends,

Distinguished invited guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening! It is the first time for us to celebrate the National Day of the People's Republic of China here in Malawi. Tonight, it is my great honor and privileges to invite all the distinguished guests here together with me to celebrate the 59^th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China.

59 years ago, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and through 28 years of struggle and sacrifice, the Chinese people founded the People's Republic of China on October 1^st, 1949, which replaced the Republic of China. The name of the new China is to keep reminding the governments of China at all levels and all the time that "the Republic belongs to the people, don't forget the people, or you will be forgotten by the people."

It is known that there is only one China in the world, both Taiwan and mainland belong to one China, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal representative of the whole China, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. This is the one China principle, which has been universally recognized by the international communities, and confirmed politically and legally by the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 approved in 1971.

Your Honourable, Ladies and Gentlemen,

China, as the biggest country in the world with 56 nationalities, over 1.32 billion population, and a weak economic foundation, is facing arduous tasks and challenges of long term development. Fortunately, in 1978, thanks to Mr. Deng Xiaoping's initiative and under his leadership, the Chinese people set foot on the historic journey of reform and opening up to the outside world. Through three decades' reform and opening up, China has achieved all-round and sustainable development. The GDP of China has grown from 140 billion US dollars in 1978 to 3.38 trillion US dollars in 2007 with 9.88% of annual average growth rate. China had jumped to the fourth largest economy in the world by the end of 2007 from the tenth in 1978 in terms of GDP. The 1.32 billion Chinese people, who once lacked adequate food and clothing, are now enjoying a moderately well-off life, and the per capita income has increased by six-fold. The rural population that lives in abject poverty has dropped from 250 million in 1978 to around 10 million. In 2007, China actually utilized 74.8 billion US dollars of foreign capitals, and invested 18.7 billion US dollars out of China. The total trade volume amounted to 2.17 trillion US dollars, ranking the third in the world. And the foreign reserve has increased from less than 20 billion US dollars in 1978 to over 1.8 trillion US dollars by now, ranking the first in the world.

I am very proud to say that, with rapid and sustained economic growth, China has made all-round progress in social and cultural development and in advancing democracy and rule of law, and has become one of the major driving forces of the world economic development and has been making new historic contributions to the development of the world and human progress, especially to stabilizing the current financial situations in the world. In 2007, the Chinese economy contributed more than 10% to the world economic growth, and contributed over 12% to the international trade growth.

As a permanent member state of the UN Security Council and a responsible major nation, China unswervingly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, always insists principle, upholds justice and decides its stance on the important international issues proceeding from the fundamental interests of developing countries and peoples all over the world. China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, keep firm to the path of peaceful development, unswervingly adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and join hands together with the peoples all over the world, to make new and greater contributions to building up a harmonious world of long lasting peace and common prosperity.

Your Honorable, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The year 2008 is a challenging one for China. At the first half of the year, serious national disasters of sleet and snowstorms struck southern China, followed by an exceptionally devastating earthquake in Sichuan. To fight against the natural disasters, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the government, the Chinese people united together to show the world our unprecedented solidarity, confidence and bravery, and has set up a good example for the world in disaster relief and home reconstruction.

The year 2008 is also a brilliant one for China. With strong supports from the governments and peoples all over the world, Beijing successfully held a high-standard Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with distinctive features, which has realized the one century dream of the Chinese people, given a profound impression to the world people and shown the new image of a peaceful, harmonious, friendly, cooperative, opening up, developing, inclusive and confident China. The successful launch of Shenzhou VII manned spacecraft on Sept.25^th and the Chinese astronauts successfully conducted China's first ever spacewalk and left their footprints in the space on Sept. 27, and returned home on Sept. 28 with complete success, which has realized a historic leap in China's space dream, gave another new pride to the Chinese people.

The year 2008 is also the first year of the diplomatic relations between Malawi and China. On December 28th, 2007, H.E. Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi, proceeding from the fundamental interest of Malawi and the Malawian people, made a wise and resolute decision to sever the so called "diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authority, and normalized diplomatic relations between Malawi and China, which has opened the gateway for the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries and two peoples.

Since then on, with the join efforts of both sides, the relationship between Malawi and China has developed rapidly, featuring with the frequent exchanges of visits at all levels between our two countries, deepening the mutual understanding, friendship and trust, and yielding the fruits of mutually beneficial cooperation.

In March this year, at the invitation of H.E. President Hu Jintao of the People's Republic of China, H.E. Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika paid a successful state visit to China. This is the first time that the State President of Malawi visited China, which has a historic significance of milestone in the bilateral relations. During the visit, the heads of two states reached broad consensus and made a plan on how to promote the mutually beneficial cooperation and achieve healthy and stable development of Sino-Malawi relations.

In addition, the representative of H.E. President Hu Jintao of the People's Republic of China and Assistant Foreign Minister Mr. Zhai Jun, and the deputy Minister of Commerce of China, Mr. Gao Huhcheng, headed their delegations to Malawi respectively. More than 10 Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers of Malawi visited China respectively.

With a view to expressing our friendly sentiments to the Malawian government and people, the Chinese government has kept its promises and taken special steps to speed up the preparation for the implementation of the two projects of the Karonga-Chitipa Road and the Parliamentary Complex, and has made positive progress. The contractor for the Road project has started their implementation from Karonga. Besides these, the Chinese government also pledged to build two rural primary schools and provide a batch of fertilizer valued at 1 million US dollars to the Malawian government. The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration of China had organized a tobacco purchasing delegation consisting of more than 10 Chinese major cigarette manufacturers to Malawi, and purchased 2850 metric ton tobacco with total value of 18.58 million US dollars, which is far over the promise of the Chinese side to buy 2000 metric ton tobacco this year.

The economic and trade cooperation between Malawi and China has got a rapid development. According to the Chinese statistics, this year from January to July, the total trade volume between Malawi and China has reached over 43 million US dollars, which has grown 101% compared to the same period last year. The export volume from Malawi to China has reached over 4 million US dollars exclusive of the tobacco export, with a growth rate of 1120% compared to the same period last year.

More importantly, more Chinese investors come to Malawi looking for investment opportunities and one of them has decided to invest 25 million US dollars in cotton plantation and processing industry in Malawi this year, which will create about 1000 jobs for the local people and benefit more than 50,000 farmers and help Malawian government earn millions of foreign currency annually. The Chinese government will continue encouraging and supporting Chinese enterprises to invest in Malawi and undertake mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation of economy and trade in all forms so as to ensure that this relationship is beneficial to the peoples of our two countries.

The cooperation between Malawi and China in education, health and medical service, media and human resources development is fruitful. This year, China has provided 30 Scholarships to Malawian students and officials, and will invite more than 100 officials, experts, professional personnel and media journalists from Malawi to visit China. And a 12-memeber press delegation of Malawi has toured to Beijing, Anhui, Shanghai and Shenzhen. In June, the first group of Chinese medical team consisting of 7 members arrived in Malawi and is offering medical services to the Malawian people in Mzuzu Central Hospital, and another group of Chinese medical team is expected to come soon.

Your Honorable, Ladies and Gentlemen,

All the facts have proved that, the friendly and cooperative relations between Malawi and China serve the fundamental interest of our two countries and represent the common aspirations of our two peoples. We highly appreciate the great vision and courage made by H.E. President Mutharika of the Republic of Malawi and the resolute commitment of the Malawian government to the One China Policy. We are also very happy to see that under the correct leadership of H.E. President Mutharika, Malawi has enjoyed rapid development of about 8% annual growth rate and achieved unprecedented food surplus for the recent three consecutive years

It is known that the economic and trade cooperation between Malawi and China has been very complementary and has huge potentials. Malawi has abundant natural resources such as tobacco, cotton and coffee, and large human resources. China has successful development experience, investment capitals, practical techniques and technologies, cheap and high quality goods and a vast market of over 1.32 billion population. And most importantly, the governments of both Malawi and China are focusing on national economic development and committed to the development of friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries to achieve our win-win cooperation

To conclude my remarks, Your Honorable, I would like to ensure you that China has been committed to helping Malawi in their efforts to achieve self-sustainable development within our best capacities and strengthen our all-round cooperation, especially in four priorities of agriculture, health and medical care, education and human resources development and infrastructure construction, so as to enrich and consolidate a new type partnership of mutual trust politically, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation economically and cultural interaction, so that the peoples of our two countries become good friends, good partners, and good brothers for good.

Finally, I would like to invite you all to raise your cups to join me for a toast:

For the good health of H.E. Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi,

For the prosperity of Malawi and China and happiness of our two peoples,

For the long-term and evergreen friendship and relationship between Malawi and China,

And for the good health and happiness of all the friends present here!

Cheers!干杯!