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China-Malawi Relations Stepping into New Era of Win-win Cooperation and Common Development

2016-01-29

China-Malawi Relations Stepping into New Era of Win-win Cooperation and Common Development

(Written before the visit of H.E. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China by H.E. Zhang Qingyang, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Malawi)

At the invitation of Hon. Dr. George Chaponda, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Malawi, H.E. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China will pay an official visit to Malawi on January 31, 2016. It will be H.E. Wang Yi's first visit to Malawi, as well as the first leg of his African trip this year. During the visit, H.E. Wang Yi will hold talks with Hon. Dr. George Chaponda, pay a courtesy call to H.E. Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi and attend the welcome luncheon hosted by the president. The two sides will have in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and international issues of shared interest. For sure, this important visit will inject new vitality into the development of China- Malawi relations.

The visit will carry on with the momentum of frequent high-level visit between China and Malawi.

In May last year, H.E. Zhang Ping, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress visited Malawi. It was the delegation of the highest level since the establishment of our diplomatic relations. In August, Malawian multi-party delegation led by Rt. Hon. Richard Msowoya, Speaker of the National Assembly of Malawi, visited China, and attended China-African People's Forum and China-Northeast Asia Expo. Also in August, H.E. Qian Keming, Vice Minister of Commerce of China visited Malawi and launched the Joint Economic Commission between China and Malawi. In September, H.E. Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika attended the Ninth Summer Davos Forum in Dalian, China. There he met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and they had extensive and in-depth exchange of ideas on China-Malawi relations as well as other issues of shared interests. Recently, H.E. Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika attended the Johannesburg Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), during which he joined the working breakfast with H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China and other African leaders.

Relatives and friends become closer if they visit each other more. At the beginning of the New Year, H.E. Wang Yi sets foot on the "Warm Heart of Africa" and starts his friendly trip, which will further strengthen the political mutual trust and push the existing friendly cooperation between the two countries to a new high.

The visit will contribute to the implementation of the outcomes of Johannesburg Summit.

Since 1990s, Africa has always been the first destination for Chinese Foreign Minister to visit after every New Year. Minister Wang Yi's visit to four African Countries is in line with this glorious tradition,which showcases the friendship between China and African countries. Besides, it is of great significance for Chinese Foreign Minister to visit Africa immediately after the Johannesburg Summit with the theme of "China-Africa Progressing Together: Win-win Cooperation for Common Development". During the Summit, China and Africa have come up with new plans and charted new blueprint for common development.

The outcomes of the summit can be summarized as "1+5+10"model, namely elevating the positioning by upgrading China-Africa relations from new type of China-Africa strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, building five major pillars to support the new positioning of China-Africa relations and focusing on implementing the ten major cooperation plans in the next three years.

Five major pillars means that we should remain committed to political equality and mutual trust, committed to promoting win-win economic cooperation, committed to mutually enriching cultural exchanges, committed to mutual assistance in security, and committed to solidarity and coordination in international affairs. 

To build China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, China will implement cooperation in the ten major fields of industrialization, agricultural modernization, infrastructure, finance, green development, trade and investment facilitation, poverty reduction and people's welfare, public health, people-to-people exchanges, as well as peace and security with Africa in the next three years.  To ensure the successful implementation of these ten cooperation plans, China decides to provide a total of US$60 billion of funding support. It includes US$5 billion of grant and zero-interest loans; US$35 billion of loans of concessional nature on more favorable terms and export credit line; an increase of US$5 billion to the China-Africa Development Fund and the Special Loan for the Development of African SMEs respectively; and the China-Africa Fund for Production Capacity Cooperation with an initial contribution of US$10 billion.

Actions speak louder than words. H.E. Wang Yi will deeply exchange views with Malawian side in implementing the outcomes of Johannesburg Summit, which can usher China-Malawi Relations to the fast track of China-Africa cooperation, and let the Malawian people enjoy the benefit of China-Africa cooperation.

This visit will also lay a solid foundation to China-Malawi relations.

 Despise short period of diplomatic ties, our bilateral relations have made substantial headway. The fast-growing political mutual trust, fruitful economic cooperation, various cultural exchanges and close international cooperation all indicate the steady pace of bilateral relations. Infrastructure built under the grant or preferential loans from  Chinese Government, such as Parliament Building, Bingu International Conference Center, Five-star Hotel and Presidential Villa, Karonga- Chitipa Road, Malawi University of Science and Technology and Bingu National Stadium have tremendously changed the infrastructure condition of Malawi. Meanwhile, schools, boreholes and other projects donated by Chinese government are all over the country, which have improved the living condition of Malawian people and laid solid foundation to bilateral relations.

During this visit, H.E. Wang Yi will review the achievements of China-Malawi cooperation since the establishment of our bilateral relations and discuss with Malawian side about the way forward. We are willing to work together with Malawian friends to seize the opportunity and push the bilateral relations to a new high to benefit both peoples.

First, we need to adopt the concept of win-win cooperation and common development, escalate the bilateral relations to a more mature and sustainable stage, which can better serve the social-economic development of both countries and benefit both people.

Second, we need to deepen pragmatic cooperation in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure, health, and diversify cooperation fields, which can materialize the complementarities of economy of the two countries.

Third, we need to strengthen exchanges and communications in fields such as education, culture, youth and media, which would consolidate the public opinion foundation of friendly relations and create favorable atmosphere for development of bilateral relations.

Last but not the least, we need to intensify communication and coordination on international and regional issues, thus maintaining unity and safeguarding common interests of developing countries.

As an old Chinese saying goes, even mountains and seas cannot distance people with common aspirations. Although China and Malawi are tens of thousands miles away with each other, the people of China and Malawi are both great people, who are working hard for each country's development. Chinese people are struggling for "Two Centenary Goals"(Namely: to complete the building of a comprehensively moderate prosperous society and double China's 2010 GDP and per capita income for both urban and rural residents by the time the Communist Party of China celebrates its centenary in 2021; and to build China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious and reach the level of moderately developed countries by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its centenary in 2049.), while Malawian people are striving for sustainable self-development. The relations between our two countries can bring real benefit to the development of both countries. We believe that under joint effort of both people, we can create brighter future for bilateral relations.

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