1. How do you feel that even a UN Secretary General could appreciate your work so profoundly?

Amb. Lin: I am very glad that H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations gave such high praise to the New Parliament Building, which was funded by the Chinese Government. Indeed, this New Parliament Building is one of the most magnificent and modern Parliament Buildings in Africa, even in the world. H.E. President Mutharika also described in his national address that the New Parliament Building is a state-of-art structure and the ambiance befitting of Malawi, a nation on the move. I am very sure that everyone who ever visits this building will be impressed by its magnificence. I am very proud to say that China, as a new friend to Malawi, has kept her every single word to help Malawi complete such a huge and modern Parliament Building within such a short period.

2. China is such a vibrant social and cultural society. How would you describe as the amount of contribution the Chinese Parliament given to such vibrancy?

Amb. Lin: I absolutely agree with you that China is a vibrant society and a promising country. In the past 30 years, China has achieved rapid socio-economic development, and people’s livelihood has been improved significantly.

According to the constitution of China, all power of the country belongs to the people. That is why China is called the People’s Republic of China, which means that the Republic belongs to the People. In China, the National People’s Congress (NPC), which is China’s Parliament, is the supreme organ of state power. The representatives of the NPC are elected by the people and execute their power on behalf of the people.

Through its legislation and supervision, the NPC shall ensure that the national development of China is always in the right direction, which is focusing on economic development while maintaining social and political stability, and all achievements and fruits of the national development shall be shared by all the people.

3. Mr. Ban Ki-moon says our New Parliament Building could help us grow to a fuller democracy. What is your view?

Amb. Lin: The New Parliament Building is absolutely to further promote the development of democracy in Malawi. From now on, the Honorable MPs of Malawi have their due decent and honorable building to discuss issues of national development and welfare of the people and execute their democratic rights endowed by the people. This is the first time in the history of Malawi for the Parliament to have such a decent and honorable building and have all its departments under one roof, which will enable the Parliament better fulfill its duties and improve its efficiency to serve the people and the national development.

There are some rumors in some western countries and media which claim that China comes to Africa just to exploit its mineral resources and energy for her rapid economic development and never concerns about the development of democracy in this continent.

Seeing is believing. We strongly believe that to concern about and support democracy and human rights can not depend on lips work, but concrete actions. The construction of the New Parliament Building is a good example to show concrete action of China to concern about and support the development of democracy and human rights in Malawi and African continent as well. The facts here in Malawi have already spoken out loudly against those rumors.

4. Should we also see our new parliament as a symbol of your government to serving the interests of ordinary Malawians that may never be in that magnificent building but are happy to be represented by the MPs?

Amb. Lin: Yes, you are absolutely right. The completion of the New Parliament Building within such a short period is just to ensure the Malawian government and people that China is a true friend and reliable development partner of Malawi in the latter’s efforts to achieve its self-sustainable development.

Malawi is a democratic country, and the Honorable MPs are elected by the people through free and fair elections, and represent the interest of people in the Parliament. The New Parliament Building has provided a decent venue for the MPs to better fulfill their missions to serve the people and the national development.

5. Conclusion

Amb. Lin: As the first Ambassador of China to Malawi, I am very proud to see that with joint efforts from both of us in the past two years, the China-Malawi relationship has developed so rapidly and yielded fruitful results, which are so visible and tangible and beneficial to the peoples of our two countries.

Actually, the New Parliament Building is just one of the major projects funded by the Chinese Government. The first phase of 13 kilometers of the Karong-Chitipa Road has been completed and opened to traffic, and the whole road will be completed next year. The Balaka Cotton Growing and Processing Project has benefited over 150,000 local cotton farmers, and created over 1300 jobs for local people. The cooking oil plant of the cotton seeds will be put into operation this July and more value and foreign earning will be made to the local people and Malawi as a whole.

In two to three years, a series of landmark projects, such as the International Conference Center and Five-Star Hotel, and the Malawi University of Science and Technology will be completed and put into operation to serve the self-sustainable development of Malawi. Besides those projects, China is also ready to help Malawi build an Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center, a solar energy pilot project, a biogas pilot project. All these projects will bring substantial benefits to the Malawian people.

I am fully confident that China, as a sincere friend and a reliable development partner, has committed herself to further carrying out win-win cooperation with Malawi, especially in the four priority areas of agriculture, education and human resources development, health and medical service and infrastructure development. Let us to work together and make sure that China and Malawi will become good friends, good partners and good brothers for good.