H.E. Madame Dr. Gertrude Mutharika, First Lady of the Republic of Malawi,

Hon. Patricia Kaliati, Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development of the Republic of Malawi,

Honorable Cabinet Ministers Present here,

Honorable Members of Parliament,

Colleagues from the Diplomatic Corps,

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

    It's my great pleasure and honor to have all of you here to join me for the Happy Chinese New Year Performance. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Malawi, I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all of you and express my sincere thanks for your valuable contribution to the development of China-Malawi relations and cooperation in the past years.

    According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, which is also called the Chinese New Year, as it occurs at the end of winter and the beginning of spring. This years' Chinese New Year falls on January 28^th. Spring Festival is one of the oldest festivals in China and could date back to more than 4,000 years ago. It is also the most important occasion of the family reunion and nationwide celebrations for the Chinese people. All Chinese, no matter where they live or where they work, will do their very best to get together with their families, visit their elderly and start wishing for a prosperous new year on that day.

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I am very proud to say that the bilateral relations between China and Malawi have witnessed all around development since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malawi nine years ago. The best ever relation has benefited the people from both sides. It's also worth mentioning that, our cultural and people to people exchanges have also made tremendous and substantial achievements.

     Last July, also in BICC, we together celebrated the 60^th anniversary of China-Africa Diplomatic Relations and the 52^nd anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Malawi with a splendid art performance. Last August, the Confucius Institute was officially opened in the University of Malawi, which will serve as an essential platform and study center for Malawian people who are interested in Chinese language and culture. Right now, there's a group of famous painters from China on their painting tour in Malawi, to make the breathtaking scenery and the warmhearted Malawian friends known to more Chinese with their paintbrush.

    The key to sound relations between states lies in amity between the people. And such friendship grows out of close interactions between the peoples. There's no doubt that the cultural exchanges is crucially important in promoting mutual understanding between the people from both sides. In the days to come, the Chinese side will redouble our efforts to promote the cultural exchanges and cooperation between our two countries and create a comprehensive, upgraded and brighter China-Malawi relationship in the quite near future.

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

   Please allow me to say a few words in Chinese to my fellow compatriots here.

    各位来宾,各位朋友,在此辞旧迎新之际,我谨代表中国驻马拉维大使馆,向在座的各位并通过你们向所有旅居马拉维的华侨华人和中资机构人员拜个早年,祝大家新春快乐,万事如意,财源滚滚,全家幸福!

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    To conclude my remarks, we hope that the following performance, staged by the Song and Dance Theater in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province of China, could bring the Chinese New Year greetings and wishes from the Chinese people to all our Malawian friends. I would like to wish the performance a great success! Wish all of you a happy Chinese New Year and good health in the year ahead. Thank you!