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China for Win-Win Relations with Africa

2015-02-16
 

Since the establishment of the diplomatic ties seven years ago, the bilateral relations have been on the track of rapid and sound development. Political mutual trust has been deepening. Fruitful cooperation has been carried out in various areas including trade, health, culture, education and infrastructure. And the aid projects that the Chinese side promised to undertake have all been implemented.

At present, China-Malawi relations are faced with great opportunity of further development. The Chinese side attaches great importance to China-Malawi relations, and is willing to make joint efforts with the Malawian side to further enhance the level of friendly cooperation between our two countries and bring more benefit to the two peoples.

Bilateral Trade

One of the driving forces behind the establishment of the relations was to foster trade between the two countries. In this regard, the Chinese side has tried all means to expand and streamline the bilateral trade. In 2007, the trade volume was only US$ 42.82 million dollars. In 2013, it rose to as much as US$ 250 million. The booming trade has brought benefits to both sides. It is true that China maintains trade surplus over Malawi, but this is not what the Chinese side wishes to see. China does not pursue such trade surplus intentionally. Behind the bilateral trade imbalance, market is the determinant factor. It means that Chinese goods are popular to Malawian people because of its high quality and attractive price and the businesspersons of our two sides are devoted to trade activities to boost the market in Malawi. We also hope that more commodities from Malawi could be exported to China, making the best of the vast consuming market in China. In order for that, the China side has spared no efforts to balance the trade. A few days ago, Hon. Joseph Mwanamveka and I signed an agreement that will grant 97% of the Malawian goods exporting to China duty free treatment. This is the unilateral preferential arrangement in the interest of the Malawian side only. Besides, every year China Tobacco Monopoly imported around 3000 tons of tobacco leafs from Malawi. In spite of the high stock in China, Chinese companies go on with the purchase to reduce the trade imbalance and help the Malawian side develop its economy. It is our hope that the Malawi side could understand the sincerity of the Chinese side.

This is also evidenced by China-Africa trade at large. In recent years, the trade volume between China and Africa has been increased sharply. The past ten years saw 20-folded increase. China remains the top trading partner of Africa for five years in row. In addition, Africa has maintained trade surplus over China-about 25 billion in 2013 alone-these years. It has contributed to the social and economic development of African countries, and improved the status of their international recurrent account. Therefore, your allegation that "various studies show that there has been consistently an imbalance in tradeā€¦in favor of China" does not tally with the truth.

China-Africa trade reached US$ 220 billion in 2014, and the investment stock rose from US$ 500 million in 2000 to US$ 30 billion in 2014. Nowadays, more and more African countries have noticed the opportunities brought by the growth of Chinese economy, and they are willing to expand trade with China to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcome. The Chinese side is also willing to facilitate development of China-Africa trade, which is in the interest of both sides. It has not been long since China and Malawi established diplomatic ties, and we now have the chance to take the advantage of the momentum of China-Africa relations, and make headway in such trend. Hopefully, Malawi will also capture this opportunity.

Workforce Issue

In the past years, all Chinese companies have adopted the strategy of local workforce. These companies have employed a large number of local workers, despite their deficiency of skills and hardworking spirit compared with Chinese workers. For example, when constructing Bingu International Conference Centre, the Chinese company employed around 800 Malawian workers and only 200 Chinese workers. In the National Stadium Project under construction, the majority of the workers with the total number of 1238 are from the local labor market, while only 220 workers are Chinese, most of whom are technicians that could not be found in Malawi. If you have any doubt, you can go to the site and find the truth by yourself. Considering the fact that technical level in Malawi is relatively low, local employment could offer many job opportunities. At the same time, it has trained a large group of local workers, which helps to escalate the overall technical level of Malawian people.

    When it comes to construction of infrastructure projects, Chinese speed is universally acclaimed, and in this regard Chinese companies are second to none, with rich experience of construction, high project quality and renowned efficiency. Those companies that undertook the major infrastructure projects are winners out of dozens of other Chinese competitors. Thus they are able to complete the aid project with high quality on time. During the past seven years, Chinese construction companies made tremendous contributions to the smooth completion of the projects of Parliament Building, Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC), Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), and Kalonga-Chitipa Road. For example, the project of BICC took only 22 months, and the Parliament Building only 12 months.

    Colonisation Question

     I would like to take this opportunity to say something about African history, China-African relations and Chinese government's African policy, which may help you better understand the root cause of some opinions.

    As everyone knows, the tragic history of Africa started with Western colonization. Slave trade went with Western invasion in Africa, which depicted the most miserable and shameful page of human history. As a result of that, Africa lost 100 million people. Its traditional civilization declined, and its economy and society regressed. Out of their own interest, Western powers scrambled for Africa in rough and brutal way, delimited the colonies and protectorates in an arbitrary way, cut the traditional bond among African tribes, and adopt the policy of "divide and rule". All of these initiated African history of poverty and turbulence. Western countries introduced one-crop economy, and planted tobacco, coffee or flower in each and every one of their colonies so that African countries could only serve as material producers and locate themselves on the bottom of the global value chain. At present, Africa remains a supplier of cheap energy to the West as well as a place for Western countries to dump their industrial products. Every year, Africa supplies 20% of crude oil, 70% of cocoa, 34% of coffee and 50% of palm products.

Regarding China-Africa relations, some Western scholars still clung on the out-dated cold war mentality, and thought that the rapid development of China-Africa relations moved the cheese of the West. Therefore, they are of the view that when intensifying its exchanges with Africa China has ulterior motive--colonizing Africa, just as they did centuries ago. Such allegation as neo-colonialism itself has ulterior motive. We should keep sober toward that.

Historical Opportunity

In fact, China-Africa interaction started as early as in the Ming Dynasty over 600 years ago, when China's official commercial fleet visited the coastal regions of the Indian Ocean, and reached the Horn of Africa. They brought beautiful pottery and silk, as well as the friendship from the remote oriental nation. In the middle of last century, China and Africa rendered each other support in the struggle for national independence and freedom, and forged profound friendship. Despite the heavy task of national construction, China was devoted to offering assistance to Africa as its capacity allowed. Meanwhile, it has never attached any political condition.

Entering the new century, both China and Africa are faced with great opportunity of development. We have established the regime of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and held five ministerial conferences and one summit. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Africa, during which he announced four pillars of China's diplomatic policy toward Africa-- sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith. China-Africa relations have been ushered into a new era. When Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited Africa last year, he laid out "461" framework of China-African cooperation. Four refers to Four Principles, namely operating with sincerity and as equals; enhancing solidarity and mutual trust; jointly pursuing inclusive development; and promoting innovative and practical cooperation. Six refers to Six Areas, namely industrial cooperation, financial cooperation, cooperation on poverty reduction, cooperation on environmental protection, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation on peace and security. One refers to One Platform. China will upgrade China-Africa cooperation in response to new development needs of Africa and elevate the new strategic partnership to the next level. During the recent African Union Summit in Ethiopia, China and AU signed Memorandum of Understanding to build Three Networks of express railway, expressway, regional airline and industrial cooperation framework of infrastructure.

The blueprint of China-Africa relations has been charted. China is willing to join hands with Africa to achieve common development. We hope Malawi and other African countries could hold fast the historical opportunity and make concerted efforts with the Chinese side to promote China-African relations and bring benefits to both peoples.

"Short, Fair, Fast" Programmes

I want to further stress that China has offered help within its capacity to the development of Malawi along with the development of China's economy and enhanced cooperation between China and African countries. We have also implemented some "short, fair, fast" programs like drilling borehole, providing solar light, building maternal waiting room, assisting AIDS patients with goats and organizing China-Malawi Friendship and Brightness Trip, etc.. These programs have benefited the ordinary people and won compliment from the people of Malawi. Apart from providing low-interest loan, Chinese government has provided grant. I don't have to refer to the previous grants. Take the latest one for example. After the tragic flood hit several areas of Malawi, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent letter of condolences to H.E. Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, assuring the Malawian Government that China will help Malawian side with its disaster-relief efforts. Besides, the Chinese community has donated relief goods with the total value of US$ 20, 000. China is the largest developing country with huge task of economic development. At present, around 130 million people still live under poverty line in China. Yet China remains committed to helping its friends in Africa.

The development of relations between China and Malawi is now on the right track. The bilateral relations maintain good momentum under the concept of win-win and common development. The relations between the two countries are faced with opportunity of further development. Malawi should seize the opportunity of China-Africa cooperation to develop itself.

Role of the Press

Friends from the press should look at the positive and bright side of the bilateral relations, and cover more events that will promote bilateral exchanges and enhance mutual understanding. Such examples are numerous and the Embassy can furnish you with stories. On the other hand, some Western media make some negative reports on cooperation between China and Africa, and I firmly believe that the people of Malawi have the wisdom to identify the truth. I also believe that the development of relation between China and Malawi is beneficial to the people of Malawi. I hope you can do more to strengthen bilateral relations, benefit people of the two countries, especially the people of Malawi and create good atmosphere of cooperation between the two countries.

I am always ready to exchange opinions with media friends and people from all walks of life, who have good intention rather than bias, to safeguard the current hard-won bilateral relations between the two countries.

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