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An Edited Transcript of Ambassador Wang's Interview by the Swedish National TV Journalist

2017-05-17
 

      On May 13th, Ambassador Wang Shi Ting was interviewed by the Swedish national TV journalist. The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

1. Which role does Africa play in the One Belt Road initiative?

The key essence of the Belt and Road Initiative includes cooperation, common development, mutual benefit, openness and sharing. In history, Africa is an important component of the ancient Silk Road. Today, it is still an indispensable part.

Africa is the poorest continent in the world, which is in desperate need of development. Of course, the development of Africa can not be realized without the help from international community. The core of the Belt and Road Initiative is focusing on common development. We hope that African countries can get investment, trade, infrastructure and industrialization, which are key to their development through their active participation in the Belt and Road Initiative. I am convinced that Africa will benefit a lot in the field of poverty-reduction, development, as well as the regional integration during the process. On the other hand, the active participation of Africa in the Belt and Road Initiative will also strengthen its connection with the international community, especially its connectivity with the Asian and European countries.

 

2. Malawi is a small and poor country. Why is China investing here?

For a long time, China has firmly adhered to and carried out the principle that all the countries, no matter big or small, rich or poor, are equal. Of course, Malawi is a small country, but we couldn't ignore it just because of its small size. Indeed, Malawi is poor and many Malawian people are lack of food, but that is just the reason why we should try our best to help them develop their countries faster and better, and assist more and more Malawian people to get rid of poverty.

In recent years, Chinese investment in Africa has increased dramatically and already become the largest contributor of foreign direct investment (FDI) and jobs creation in this Continent.

Somebody said the aim of China's assistance to Africa is to grab its resources. It is totally groundless. Malawi does not have much mineral resources, but the Chinese investors still came. Why? On one hand, Chinese companies do make profit through investment. But more importantly, we want to help Malawi achieve faster development. We never refuse to help a country just because it's lack of natural resources. China knows that there is no so-called "isolated prosperity". The world can become a better place only through common development. And China is willing to make its due contribution to build a beautiful world with common prosperity. 

 

3. How can both China and Malawi be winners in a partnership?

As an ancient Chinese saying goes, "Enjoying happiness alone is not as happy as sharing it". China and Malawi are both developing countries. Over the past decades, China acquires world-shaking achievements, and makes tremendous progress in economic growth, social progress, urbanization development and so on. Now Malawian people are striving to develop their country and improve their livelihood, among which China has rich and successful experience. China and Malawi are ideal cooperative partners and highly complementary to each other.

In order to ensure our cooperation could benefit our two countries and peoples, we should first promote our interaction, deepen our understanding and consolidate our friendship. Second, we should strengthen our economic and trade cooperation, so as to realize the economic complementarities. Third, we should promote the technology exchange and transfer. We are willing to give a hand to Malawi in agricultural development and industrialization. Fourth, we should strengthen the human resources training. "If one apple is given to two men, one can only get half. If one idea is shared with two men, it will become two ideas". Human resource is the key to development. China has now become the biggest provider of scholarship and training opportunities to Malawi. This will go a long way towards achieving Malawi's national development.

 

4. What challenges does see when working in Malawi?

Of course, there are indeed some challenges we have to face when living in Malawi. The first one is cultural shock. China and Malawi are two totally different countries, with different history, different development stage, and different thinking pattern. Besides, Malawi is also a least-developed country. As a result, the material supply is inadequate and we have to bear relatively poor living conditions. It is also a country stricken with Malaria, AIDS, TB and other diseases, which is a threat to our life here.

However, Malawi is one of the countries with the best climate in Africa. The sky is always blue, the water is always clean. What's more, Malawi is a peace-loving country with friendly people. Sometimes when I am walking on the street, Malawians will greet me in Chinese, which makes Malawi a homelike place for me.

In a word, what we like and appreciate about Malawi is much more than the challenges. We are lucky and happy to live and work here.

 

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