By Isaac Salima:
President Lazarus Chakwera has hailed the People’s Republic of China for its continued support to Malawi.
Chakwera cited projects that China has bankrolled in the country.
Some of the projects were facilitated through grants and concessional loans during close to two decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Chakwera made the remarks in China during a welcome dinner that the country’s vice president Han Zheng organised for him and his entourage.
“China has successfully implemented vital infrastructure projects in transportation, education, healthcare and energy. This includes the dualisation of the M1 Road from Mchinji Round-about to Kanengo [in Lilongwe] through grant funding and National Fibre Backbone Project II through a concessional loan,” Chakwera said.
“Furthermore, China has conducted a feasibility study for the construction of a Judiciary Complex in Lilongwe through grant financing, and we eagerly await a positive response. On several occasions, your esteemed nation has offered timely humanitarian assistance in the wake of climate-related disasters, significantly bringing much needed help to Malawians affected by these crises, and for this, we are deeply grateful,” he added.
The President added that people-to-people exchanges between Malawi and China since 2008 cannot go without special recognition.
“These exchanges— particularly in science, higher education (primarily through scholarships), agriculture, media and trade—have played a pivotal role in addressing our countries’ social and economic challenges. As we commemorate nearly two decades of our relationship, we affirm our unwavering commitment to deepening our partnership and exploring new opportunities,” Chakwera said.
On his part, Zheng said he was elated that the bilateral relationship was flourishing.
“We are pleased to welcome you again to China for the summit. This comes after meeting you during your successful visit in June last year, when you delivered the keynote address at the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo.
“Relations between our two countries continue to improve and President Xi Jinping looks forward to further discussing more areas of cooperation with you tomorrow [today] during your meeting,” Zheng said.
Chakwera left Malawi for China on Sunday, when he joined over 40 African leaders in Beijing.
The leaders are expected to participate in the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to be officially opened by Xi.
The summit has attracted Chinese and African leaders to engage in high-level discussions focused on enhancing strategic communication and coordination, thereby reinforcing the foundation for the continued development of China-Africa relations.
