H.E. Ambassador Pan Hejun giving a speech

Your Excellency Prof. Bingu wa Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi,

Your Excellency the First Lady Madam Callista Mutharika,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, it is my great honor and pleasure to join H.E. Prof. Bingu wa Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi to lay the foundation stone for the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST).

This is a historical day which will be remembered by our people. 20 months later, a new, modern university will be set up here.

At this exciting moment, I, on behalf of the Chinese Government and people, wish to extend my warmest congratulations to the Malawian Government and people. And I also want to thank the working teams of both sides for the excellent job they have done.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Malawi University of Science and Technology is the brainchild of H.E. President Mutharika. His Excellency also gave a lot of precious guidance on the preparation work of this project.

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to this project, and has made special arrangements to speed up the preparation process. The contractor of MUST is Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company. The company has a good record in construction and is well known in Malawi as the contractor of New Parliament Building. I am full of confidence that they will live up to the expectations of the Malawian people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me quote what H.E. President Mutharika said before, “Education is the key to the development of human capital, which is the basis for the national economic development”.

In China, our experience has already proved the importance of education to the economic and social development of the country. China has maintained an approximately 10% GDP growth rate for over 30 years, and has now become the second largest economy in the world.

As the development partner of Malawi, we are glad to see that under the great leadership of H.E. President Mutharika, the Malawian Government has put education sector among the “priorities within priorities”. Through the National Educational Sector Plan, the Malawian Government has taken various measures to provide quality education to the people, including the rehabilitation of schools, construction of girls’ hostels and new teacher training colleges. The Malawian government has also decided to establish five new universities in the country in the years to come.

The Malawi University of Science and Technology is one of the five universities to be built. The university, which can accommodate more than 3000 students with advanced facilities, will be one of the best universities in the South-East Africa, and will make great contributions to the national development of Malawi.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Education is a priority area in the cooperation between China and Malawi. Besides Malawi University of Science and Technology, a secondary school funded by Chinese Government is currently under construction not far away from here. We will build a China-Africa Friendship Primary School in Lilongwe. The China Youth Development Foundation, together with the World Eminent Chinese Business Association will implement the China-Africa Project Hope in Malawi. A total funding of 1 million US dollars will be used to build or rehabilitate several primary schools in Malawi in the next two years by Project Hope.

China also provides government scholarships to Malawi. Since 2008, 98 Malawians have received Chinese Government Scholarships to study in China. Some of them have already graduated and came back to serve Malawi. This year, we will provide 33 new government scholarships to Malawian students.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 3 years ago, the cooperation between the two countries has yielded fruitful results. The Parliament Building has been completed. The Karonga-Chitipa Road and the International Conference Center and Five-Star Hotel will be completed by the end of this year.

We will also establish an Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center, solar and biogas pilot projects in Malawi under the framework of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Time has proved that the decision made by H.E. President Mutharika 3 years ago to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China is a great and wise decision. Both countries have benefited by this decision. We are very grateful that the Malawian Government sticks to the One China Policy, and provides valuable support to China’s sovereignty and territory integrity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

China and Malawi are good friends, good partners and good brothers. Our relations are based on the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

The cooperation between China and Malawi is within the framework of South-South cooperation. As the largest developing country, China will continue to provide assistances to Malawi as its capacity allows, and join hands to achieve common development and prosperity.

Thank you.