Recently, H.E. Mr. Shi-Ting Wang, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Malawi, gave an exclusive interview to Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which was broadcast on 14 August 2016. The transcript is as follows:

1. You have been in Malawi a few months, what are your plans as an envoy of China to Malawi?

Indeed, I have been in Malawi for only four months. As a new Ambassador of China to Malawi, I am very lucky to witness the existing cordial relations between our two countries, and my major task here is to further promote our friendship.

We will deepen the political mutual trust between our two countries. We will enhance our economic cooperation in the field of infrastructure, production capacity, trade and investment to bring more tangible benefit to Malawian people. We will continue to assist Malawi in human resources training and capacity building. We will also promote the culture and people-to-people exchanges to deepen the mutual understanding of two people. In a word, I wish to push the bilateral relation to a new high during my stay in Malawi.

2. Malawi has seen tremendous support from China especially in infrastructure development. Which other areas would like to venture into?

As you rightly pointed out, China has fulfilled its commitment in the past eight years and helped Malawi with some major infrastructure projects. But this is only a part of the support from China. I can give you many examples in other sectors.

In the field of Agriculture, we have built Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre in Salima, and Malawi-China Agricultural Technology Cooperation Farm in Lilongwe. In Health, we have dispatched Medical Teams to Lilongwe and Mzuzu, donated a CT scanner and anti-malaria drugs, and drilled 600 boreholes national wide. In education and human resource, apart from Malawi University of Science of Technology, we also helped to build a secondary school in Thyolo and a primary school in Lilongwe. The Chinese government provided with many full Scholarships to Malawi every year and invited Malawi people for study tour in China every year. It was only last year that China has provided 600 short term training opportunities to Malawi people.

3. How does China benefit from the bilateral relations with Malawi so far?

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations eight years ago, the bilateral relations between our two countries have enjoyed sound and rapid growth. We firmly support each other in international and regional affairs. Economically this is a win-win cooperation between China and Malawi, and it also bring tangible benefit to two peoples. Culturally, Malawi has a splendid culture with a long history. There is a lot for Chinese people to learn from you.

4. The President is emphasizing on foreign investment. How crucial is this initiative in reference to economic development for China?

Thirty years ago, China was at the same development level as Malawi. When we decided to adopt the reform and open up policy, the economy of China started to take off. In order to attract foreign investors, the Chinese government introduced incentives, like tax holidays. As a result, the foreign investment brought capitals, advanced technology and management experience to China and created lots of job opportunity, which are crucial for the development of economy.

I am very glad to see that Malawi government emphasize on foreign investment, and am looking forward to seeing more incentives and preferential policies.

5. Chinese people are known for their hard work and Patriotism and our President His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is also emphasizing on the three pillars of development, Integrity, Patriotism and Hard Work. How do think these pillars are significant for the progress of the nation?

The core value that H.E. Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika put forward is very crucial for the development of Malawi.

Without patriotism, a country cannot be united and progress toward the same goal. We can't talk about development without integrity and hard work of the people.

Why can China develop so fast with such short period of time? The reason is attributed to integrity and hard work of Chinese People. Malawian people are also very hard working. I believe all Malawian can join hands and work together to strive for the interest of the country.

6. Recently you hosted the China Malawi Investment Forum, what were the fruits of this forum and how many investors are coming to the country through this forum?

The first ever China-Malawi Investment Forum was very successful. The President H.E. Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika and the Vice President Rt. Hon. Saulos Klaus Chilima and many other high ranking officials graced the opening ceremony of the forum. About 100 investors from China attended this forum.

It was the biggest business delegation from a single foreign country to Malawi. After the discussion between the delegates and their Malawian counterparts, about 11 tentative agreements on investment and cooperation have been reached, with the total value of about 100 million dollars. Areas of investment include agriculture, food processing, light industry manufacturing, tourism, solar power energy, etc..

7. What is Your Assessment of Malawi's economy of the time that you have been in the country?

Malawi's economy is faced with some challenges because of the change of weather pattern. But in terms of policy, I think it is moving at the right direction. Malawi is at a turning point from aid to trade. It will move from a consuming and importing economy to a producing and exporting economy.

Malawi has a great potential in economic development and we wish Malawi government could introduce more incentives so as to attract more international investors. With a population of about 17 million, Malawi can boost the development in agro-processing, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, tourism and so on.

8. Issues of mindset change have been a major challenge in Malawi as compared to yours and this is what contributed to the success of China today what should we as a country do in order for us to grow as a nation?

I agree with you. The mindset is the internal driver of a person. The success of a person depends on two factors-the internal factor and the external factor. It is hard for us to change the external circumstances. So if we want to succeed, we must try our best to find the internal driving force. It is the same with a country.

China is a socialist country. Back to 30 years ago, there was a big debate on the issue whether a socialist could have market economy or not. Some people say yes, but others say no. They insist on that a socialist country could only have a planning economy. Those people spent a lot of time on the debate, on the argument, wasting a lot of time.

Our former great leader Deng Xiaoping said, stop it here. He said, no matter whether it's a white cat or black cat, as long as this cat can catch rats, this is a good cat. Through the change of mindset, we are now the second largest economy in the world. We would like to share our experience with Malawi.  And I believe that it would not take long before Malawi get on the fast-track of development.

9. Can you please share with us your Personal Profile?

My whole career has been closely linked to Africa, so I have a special feeling for this continent.

My diplomatic career started in the Department of African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China. I worked in the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe in the 1990s, during which I used to visit Malawi. I served as the Counselor in Chinese Embassy in South Africa. After that, I went back to the headquarters and worked as the Deputy Director General in the Department of African Affairs.

Now I am in Malawi. It always feels good to come back to Africa, my second hometown.

10.  What do you want to achieve at the end of your stay in this country?

Well, during my stay here, I will spare no efforts to promote the win-win cooperation between China and Malawi. At the end of my stay, I wish that we can have a strengthened political trust, more robust economic and trade cooperation, and more dynamic cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

11. Any final remark?

I am very happy to have the chance to give this interview. China and Malawi are now at the golden time of bilateral relations. We are always ready to provide assistance within our capacity. I am sure that our relations will bring more tangible benefits for our people.