On 19th February 2025, an article titled “Renewing China-Malawi Friendship and Embarking on a New Chapter” by H.E. Lu Xu, Chinese Ambassador to Malawi, was published in the Nation and Daily Times, introducing the China-Malawi strategic partnership and practical cooperation results. The following is the full text of the article:

Please allow me, in the name of the 7th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Malawi, to extend my sincere greetings and best wishes to the government and people of Malawi.

This is my very first time to set foot on the vast land of Africa. In the first few days after my arrival on February 10th, with a sense of curiosity and anticipation, I started to be aware of the pulse of the “Warm Heart of Africa”, refreshed by the vitality and diversity of the local culture, and overwhelmed by the kindness and friendliness of its people. 

This year marks the 18th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Malawi. Our two nations have enjoyed the lasting friendship and fruitful economic cooperation, bringing lots of benefits and winning the true hearts of our two peoples. 

Over the past 18 years, a firm and unremitting adherence to the one-China policy to support China’s great cause of reunification by the Malawian government, political parties and all sectors of society has laid the solid political foundation for the development of China-Malawi relations. Guided by the strategic road-map drawn up by the two heads of state, China-Malawi relations have developed healthily and rapidly. H.E. President Xi Jinping and H.E. President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera held a cordial meeting during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September last year, and jointly announced the elevation of China-Malawi relations to a strategic partnership, marking a new level in the bilateral relations. It is my great honor to be designated as Ambassador of China to Malawi at this moment. 

Walking on the streets of Lilongwe, I’m impressed by the magnificent China-aided projects such as the Parliament Building, the Bingu International Conference Center, and the Bingu National Stadium. These are the eternal witnesses of China-Malawi friendship. The implementation of National Fiber Backbone Project, the Rehabilitation of the M1 road, the supplement of teaching equipment and instruments to Malawi University of Science and Technology, the construction of Confucius Institute, and the “Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages” Project are vivid examples of China’s strong willingness to share the opportunities of its modernization, giving a hand to promote local economic and social development and people’s livelihood. 

Last year, during the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC, China and Malawi signed a number of bilateral and multilateral cooperation documents, including the China-Africa Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative, the Judicial Complex Project, and the Export of Shelled Peanut from Malawi to China. Later in December, China gave Malawi zero-tariff treatment for 100% tariff lines, all of which injected new impetus into the win-win cooperation between the two countries.

Friendship among people boosts in recent years. China and Malawi learn from each other in the fields of education, culture, healthcare, agriculture and so on. Outstanding young Malawian people take advantage of the nearly 100 scholarships provided by the Chinese government each year to study in China. I’m glad to see that they actively participate in Chinese language classes, “Chinese Bridge” competitions, “Confucius Institute Day” and other activities to learn more about Chinese culture and to get self-improvement. People from all walks of life from Malawi also communicate with their Chinese counterparts through short-term training and seek new opportunities. 

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China has sent 11 batches of more than 200 doctors to Malawi, treating more than 100,000 patients in total, making positive contributions to promoting the development of Malawi’s medical and health care. At the same time, China has also sent 3 batches of agricultural technical cooperation teams to Malawi to carry out technical training and demonstration planting, effectively improving the capability of agricultural technology in Malawi. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Whenever Malawian suffered from food shortages, tropical cyclones and other natural disasters, China will always be ready to give its support to the Malawian people to overcome the difficulties.  

No matter how the international situation changes, China’s commitment to work with African countries including Malawi in pursuit of a shared future remains unchanged. China will continue to uphold world peace firmly and promote common development and adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in pursuing friendship and cooperation with other countries to make global governance fairer and more equitable,  calling for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and opposing all forms of unilateralism, protectionism and “anti-globalization”. Without any political preconditions, China’s aid is featured by honoring its commitment, linking to the actual needs of recipient countries, focusing on “passing on fishing skills rather than handing out fish” method, and promoting recipient countries’ capacity to develop independently. China will not go back on its word on promised projects, nor will it threaten to impose its will on others by imposing sanctions. China will also not follow the old path of some countries that plundering developing countries under the guise of aid in order to feed its own geopolitical agenda. 

On the road of jointly promoting modernization and building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, China will remain guided by the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, proposed by President Xi Jinping. China is willing to deepen cooperation with Malawi on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and welcome Malawi to aboard the express train of China’s development with open arms.

China-Malawi relations are in a period of youth, full of vitality and promising a bright future. As the new Ambassador of China to Malawi, I am full of confidence and expectation in continuing the China-Malawi friendship and writing a new chapter of cooperation between the two countries. I am willing to work together with friends from all sectors of Malawi to carry out strategic alignment under the framework of the BRI, the FOCAC, and the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative with the Malawi Vision 2063. By continuously expanding practical cooperation between China and Malawi and promoting the realization of development goals of the two countries, I will do my best to carry out my duty to boost the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era and deliver more benefits to our two peoples.