On March 19, a reception marking Ambassador H.E. Lu Xu’s Assumption of Office was held in the capital city Lilongwe. Around 300 guests, including Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Defence, Higher Education and Speaker of the National Assembly, Chief Justice, representatives of Opposition Parties and Military, as well as members of the Diplomatic Corps, Chinese community in Malawi joined the reception.

In her remarks, Mme. Lu Xu spoke highly of China-Malawi relations. Lu expressed that it is a great honour to be appointed by President Xi Jinping as the Ambassador of China to Malawi, with this honour comes heavy responsibilities. “I look forward to strengthening communication and cooperation with all sectors of Malawi during my tenure, to implement the important consensus reached by our two heads of state”, she said. Lu stressed that China is ready to take the Ten Partnership Actions for modernization to continuously deepen practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries, and elevate China-Malawi strategic partnership to a new level.

The Guest of Honor, Hon. Nancy Tembo, Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered a speech on behalf of President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera. She lauded the outcomes of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. She pledged all necessary facilitation and support for Ambassador Lu Xu in performing her duties. Malawi is ready to work with China to write a new chapter in bilateral relations towards a more prosperous future and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

On the sideline of the reception, Mme. Lu Xu handed over a symbolic key of the Judicial Complex to Hon. Nancy Tembo, signaling the official launch of the project. A signing ceremony was also held, during which Mme. Lu Xu and Hon. Simplex Chithyola Banda, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs jointly signed the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the two governments.