（23 May 2016, Golden Peacock）

　　Honourable Dr. George Chaponda, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development,

　　Officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development,

　　Ladies and Gentlemen,

　　Good evening. Today we’re gathered here to see off the attendees of Training Course on Agricultural Products Processing Technology. First of all, I would like to wish every one of you a happy and fruitful trip to China. I am sure the study tour will enrich your professional knowledge, broaden your academic horizon, and deepen your understanding about China.

　　As a Chinese saying goes, food is the paramount necessity of the people. We cannot talk about development when our people are starving. The Malawian government has attached great importance to the agricultural sector. H.E. Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika announced that the Ministry of Agriculture will be the key ministry for development, ensuring food security and expanding export base. Honourable Dr. George Chaponda has also made it clear that Malawi needs to get its lost glory of a food basket for the region.

　　It is against this background that agriculture and food security has always been a major pillar of economic development between China and Malawi. The past eight years since the establishment of our diplomatic ties have seen remarkable progress in the cooperation of agricultural infrastructure, trade and investment, emergency food assistance, disaster relief and capacity building.

　　Under the framework of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, we have built Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center in Salima. Now the construction has already been completed.

　　Financed by China-Africa Development Fund, a Chinese cotton company has made huge investment in Balaka and Salima, creating job opportunities and contributing to value addition of the agricultural produce.

　　With the hope of promote agricultural trade, we have granted tariff-free treatment to 97% of Malawian exports to China. And every year, Chinese tobacco companies come to Malawi to buy tobacco leafs with the total amount of 3000 tons.

　　In response to the severe natural disaster in Malawi, we have donated 6500 tons of rice. Two irrigation experts have visited the flood-stricken lower Shire area.

　　In order to equip the Malawian people with the technical know-how in agriculture, we have been offering scholarships and short-term training courses in China. In addition, Chinese experts have conducted training of fruit tree planting and gardening in China-Malawi Agricultural Technology Cooperation Farm in Lilongwe.

　　In collaboration with the British government, we have carried out fishery research projects in Domasi Aquaculture Research Center, which almost doubled the yield of tilapia in the experimental pond.

　　Ladies and Gentlemen,

　　As a traditional agricultural country, China has accumulated valuable experiences in agriculture. Since the adoption of reform and opening-up policy 38 years ago, China has shifted from an agricultural country to the world’s factory.

　　Malawi is also blessed with abundant agricultural resources. I am convinced that the success in China could be copied here in Malawi. There’s great potential in agricultural cooperation between the two countries. The Chinese Embassy will continue to facilitate more study tours to China, laying a solid human resource foundation in the agricultural sector.

　　It is also our hope that when the trainees come back from China you could bring both technique and friendship. Our booming bilateral cooperation calls for more envoys of friendship. Let’s make concerted efforts to foster closer China-Malawi relations, bring more benefits to our two people.

　　Thank you!