Foreign Affairs Minister George Chaponda has said Malawi can draw valuable lessons from China’s discipline, focus and zero tolerance for corruption as the country pursues its own path toward economic transformation.
Chaponda made the remarks on Wednesday during a reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
The event took place in Lilongwe.
Chaponda hailed China’s continued assistance to Malawi, citing visible contributions such as the Parliament Building, Bingu National Stadium and agricultural as well as skills development initiatives.
He also said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently received new equipment from the Chinese government to improve its operations.
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“We can see the tangible impact of China’s partnership on our country’s development.
“Recently, China wrote off $20 million in debt that was due in 2024 and responded positively to President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s call for urgent assistance, particularly in addressing food shortages following the national emergency,” Chaponda said.
He reaffirmed Malawi’s commitment to deepening cooperation with China in areas such as agriculture, trade, manufacturing, climate resilience and human capital development, describing them as key pillars of Malawi’s transformation agenda.
On her part, Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Lu Xu reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Malawi in key sectors such as food security, energy and skills development.
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She said China’s development model was built on unity, hard work and effective leadership, which she said enabled the country to lift millions of people out of extreme poverty.
“Under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, China has transformed from a poor and weak nation into a modern, industrialised country.
“Five years ago, we achieved our national goal of eradicating extreme poverty—leaving no one behind,” she said.
Lu said China remained a steadfast partner in Malawi’s development journey, having provided support through major infrastructure projects, debt relief and technical cooperation.
She underscored the strong and enduring friendship between the two nations, which Lu said was built on mutual respect and shared prosperity under the framework of South- South China.
