Strive for New Glory of China-Malawi Relations
携手共创中马关系新辉煌
Chinese Ambassador H.E. Long Zhou
驻马拉维大使龙舟
28 December 2022
2022年12月28日
On 28 December 2007, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Malawi formally established diplomatic relations. Over the past 15 years, thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, China-Malawi relations have witnessed fast and sound development with fruitful cooperation in various fields. The friendship between China and Malawi has brought tangible benefits to both sides and has taken deep root among the two peoples. On this important day of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malawi, I would like to review the history of China-Malawi friendly relations and look forward to the future development with friends from all walks of life in Malawi.
2007年12月28日，中华人民共和国与马拉维共和国正式建立外交关系。15年来，在双方的共同努力下，中马关系健康快速发展，各领域务实合作成果丰硕，两国人民受益良多，中马友好深入人心。在建交15周年这个重要的日子，我愿与马各界朋友共同回顾中马友好关系的历史，展望两国关系发展未来。
One-China principle is the solid foundation for the stable development of China-Malawi relations. Fifteen years ago, Malawian government publicly announced the severance of “diplomatic ties” with Taiwan authorities and recognized that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. We commend the government, all political parties and whole society of Malawi for upholding the one-China principle and supporting China’s great cause of reunification over the past 15 years. This is the important political foundation for the development of China-Malawi relations.
一中原则是保障中马关系稳定发展的坚实基础。15年前，马政府公开宣布与台湾“断交”，并承认世界上只有一个中国，中华人民共和国政府是代表全中国的唯一合法政府，台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分。我们赞赏马政府、政党及社会各界15年来始终恪守一个中国原则，支持中国的统一大业，这是中马关系发展的重要政治基础。
Political mutual trust leads China-Malawi relations to move forward. H.E. President Xi Jinping held a successful phone conversation with H.E. President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera in August 2021, which set the direction for the development of China-Malawi relations. On the basis of the official establishment of party-to-party relations, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) are jointly leading better and faster development of China-Malawi relations by strengthening dialogue, exchanges and mutual learning. H.E. Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, held a video meeting with Rt. Honourable Catherine Gotani-Hara, Speaker of Parliament of Malawi early this year. As the Malawi-China Parliamentary Friendship Group of Parliament of Malawi was officially launched, exchanges and cooperation between the legislative bodies of our two countries have been further strengthened.
政治互信引领中马关系不断向前。2021年8月，习近平主席与查克维拉总统通电话，为中马关系发展指明方向。中国共产党与马执政党——大会党在正式建立党际关系的基础上，加强对话、交流互鉴，共同引领中马关系更好更快地向前发展。全国人大常委会栗战书委员长与哈拉议长举行视频会谈，马议会马中友好小组正式成立，中马立法机构间的交流与合作进一步加强。
Economic and trade cooperation enriches the rich substance of China-Malawi relations. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Malawi economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly and achieved fruitful results. The Malawi Parliament Building, the Karonga-Chitipa Road, which were donated by the Government of China, and the Bingu International Convention Center, the Bingu National Stadium, and the Malawi University of Science and Technology, which were funded and built by China, have become landmark projects embodying China-Malawi friendship. China has actively promoted the implementation of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the achievements of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Malawi. China has implemented a number of aid projects, such as the CT scanner machine room, five community technical colleges and the rehabilitation of part of M1 road, and has cooperated with Malawi in the construction of a number of large-scale projects, such as the National Fiber Backbone Project Phase I and II. Export of peanuts, soybeans and other agricultural products from Malawi to China has become easier than before, and more and more Chinese companies has come to invest in Malawi. China has also donated a large amount of medical supplies to help Malawi in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. In August this year, China and Malawi signed agreements on three cooperation projects: maintenance of the Parliament Building, feasibility study on the Judicial Complex and Zero Tariff Treatment to Products under 98 Percent of Taxable Items of Malawi, bringing new vitality into China-Malawi practical cooperation.
经贸合作充实中马关系丰富内涵。建交以来，中马经贸合作发展迅速、成果丰硕。由中国援建的马拉维议会大厦、卡隆加－奇提帕公路等相继落成，由中国提供融资支持并承建的马拉维科技大学、马拉维国际会议中心暨商务宾馆、宾古国家体育场等项目先后完工并交付使用，上述项目均成为马拉维民众引以为豪的地标性建筑。中方积极推动共建“一带一路”和中非合作论坛等成果在马落实落地，先后实施了CT机房、五所社区技术学院、M1公路改扩建等援助项目，合作建设国家光纤骨干网等大型项目，推动马花生和大豆等农产品输华取得积极进展，引领更多中国企业来马投资兴业。中方还援助了大批医疗物资，帮助马方抗击新冠疫情。今年8月，中马双方签署了中方援马议会大厦维护、援马司法综合体可行性研究、给予马98%税目输华产品零关税待遇三个合作项目换文，为中马务实合作注入新活力。
People-to-people and cultural exchanges are the source of China-Malawi friendship. Since 2008, ten batches of Chinese medical teams totaling more than 170 doctors have been sent to Malawi. More than 88,100 local patients have been treated. They carry forward the spirit of “Rescuing the dying and Healing the wounded, Contributing boundless love”, making positive contributions to promoting the development of Malawi’s medical and health care. The Chinese government provides around 100 scholarships to outstanding Malawian young people every year. The Confucius Institute at the University of Malawi holds activities such as Chinese language classes, Chinese Language Competitions and “Confucius Institute Day”. These activities serve as windows for Malawian people, especially young people, to learn Chinese language and understand Chinese culture. The Chinese communities in Malawi do business in compliance with local laws and donated large amounts of PPEs and disaster relief materials during the hard times such as the outbreak of COVID-19 and Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Anna, which examplify the old saying “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.
人文交流涵养中马关系友谊之源。2008年至今，中国共向马派出10批总计170余名医疗队员，累计诊治患者超8.81万人次。他们赓续救死扶伤、大爱无疆的精神，为推动马拉维医疗卫生健康事业发展做出积极贡献。中国政府每年为马优秀青年提供近100个奖学金名额。马拉维大学孔子学院开展汉语课堂、“汉语桥”中文比赛、“孔子学院日”等活动，是马民众特别是青少年学习汉语、了解中国文化的窗口。广大中国侨胞在马遵纪守法、合规经营，与马方合力抗击新冠疫情及“伊代”“安娜”等气象灾害，展现出“患难见真交”的真挚友谊。
The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was successfully convened in October. The Congress takes place at a critical time as the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance toward the Second Centenary Goal. The Congress made a comprehensive review of the Party’s work in the past five years and the great achievements in the past decade, and made strategic plans for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. The CPC is dedicated to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. It is also dedicated to human progress and world harmony. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC indicates that China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and it is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future. China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and adheres to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in developing friendship and cooperation with other countries. It is committed to its fundamental national policy of opening to the outside world and pursues a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up. China plays an active part in the reform and development of the global governance system and works to make global governance fairer and more equitable. As China embarks on a new journey, it will achieve the new development. China’s new developments will create new opportunities for the world, and Chinese modernization will also provide new options for mankind to achieve modernization.
今年十月，中国共产党第二十次全国代表大会胜利召开。这是中国在迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程、向第二个百年奋斗目标进军的关键时刻召开的一次十分重要的大会。大会回顾总结了过去五年的工作和新时代十年的伟大变革，对中国全面建设社会主义现代化国家、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴进行了战略谋划。中国共产党是为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的党，也是为人类谋进步、为世界谋大同的党。党的二十大报告指出，中国始终坚持维护世界和平、促进共同发展的外交政策宗旨，致力于推动构建人类命运共同体，坚定奉行独立自主的和平外交政策，坚持在和平共处五项原则基础上同各国发展友好合作，坚持对外开放的基本国策，坚定奉行互利共赢的开放战略，积极参与全球治理体系改革和建设，推动全球治理朝着更加公正合理的方向发展。迈向新征程的中国将实现新的发展，中国的新发展将为世界创造新机遇，中国式现代化也将为人类实现现代化提供新的选择。
Over the past 15 years, China-Malawi relations have withstood the risks and challenges posed by changes of the world, of our times and of history. The 15 years of friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation have fully demonstrated that the relationship between China and Malawi is a close brotherhood, an equal partnership, and a cooperative relationship of mutual benefit and win-win results. Maintaining and developing China-Malawi relations is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and the common aspiration of the two peoples. We are full of confidence in the future of China-Malawi relations, and we are willing to take the 15th anniversary as a new starting point to elevate China-Malawi relations to a higher level, especially in the following aspects:
15年来，中马关系经受住了世界之变、时代之变、历史之变所带来的风险考验。15年的友好交往和互利合作充分表明，中马关系是亲密的兄弟关系，平等的伙伴关系，互利共赢的合作关系。维护好、发展好中马关系，符合两国的根本利益，也是两国人民的共同心愿。我们对中马关系的明天充满信心，愿以建交15周年为新起点，不断促进两国关系提质升级。
Firstly, continue to enhance the mutual trust. Political mutual trust is the premise and basis for the development of relations between the two countries. Constantly consolidating political mutual trust is conducive to the stability and long-term development of bilateral relations. We believe that the Malawi government will continue to abide by its commitment to the one-China principle and maintain the political foundation of China-Malawi relations. Both sides will continue to promote high-level exchanges, to carry out in-depth experience exchanges on governance, to strengthen coordination and communication on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, and to jointly promote the sound and steady development of China-Malawi relations.
一是持续增进互信。政治互信是两国发展关系的前提和基础。不断巩固政治互信，有利于两国关系行稳致远。我们相信马政府将继续恪守一个中国原则的承诺，维护好中马关系的政治基础。我们将继续致力于推动加强双方高层交往，深入治国理政经验交流，就涉及双方核心利益和重大关切问题加强协调沟通，共同推动双边关系健康稳定发展。
Secondly, enrich the contents of cooperation. China has entered a new stage of development and is willing to share development opportunities with Malawi for mutual benefit and win-win results. In the next step, on the basis of previous cooperation, we will adhere to the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith and with a commitment to the greater good and shared interests, strive to inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations. Efforts will be made to carry out strategic alignment under the framework of the BRI, the Nine Projects of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC, and the Global Development Initiative with the Malawi Vision 2063. We will share more development experience in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, power generation, ICT, education and other fields with Malawi, explore more opportunities for cooperation in clean energy, digital economy and other potential fields.
二是丰富合作内涵。中国已步入新发展阶段，愿与马方共享发展机遇，互利共赢。下步我们将在以往合作基础上，继续秉持真实亲诚理念和正确义利观，在共建“一带一路”、中非合作论坛第八届部长级会议“九项工程”、全球发展倡议等框架下与马国家发展“2063愿景”进行战略对接，同马分享基础设施、农业、能源、电力、信息通讯、教育等各领域发展经验，探索清洁能源、数字经济等更多合作机遇，为双边关系发展持续注入不竭动力。
Thirdly, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Affinity between peoples is the foundation of state-to-state relations. China is willing to further promote mutual learning, exchanges and cooperation between China and Malawi in the fields of education, culture, media, tourism, etc., and continuously encourage our two peoples to enhance understanding, strengthen unity, and consolidate friendship, so as to further enhance the bonds and mutual understanding between the two peoples for the development of China-Malawi relations.
三是扩大人文交流。国之交在于民相亲。中方愿进一步促进中马在教育、文化、媒体、旅游等领域相互借鉴与交流合作，不断引导两国人民增进了解、加强团结、巩固友好，为中马关系发展厚植坚实的民意基础。
China-Malawi relations are in a period of youth, full of vitality and promising a bright future. As good brothers and good partners, the both sides would surely work together through thick and thin, move forward side by side, jointly open up a new chapter for the bilateral relations, and deliver more benefits to our two peoples. As the Chinese ambassador, I would like to work hard to promote the better development of China-Malawi relations in pursuance with the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC. I believe that with the concerted efforts of the friendly people from all walks of life of the both sides, China-Malawi relations will continue to move forward and reach a new height.
中马关系正值青春年华，生机勃发、未来可期。作为好兄弟和好伙伴，中马一定能风雨同舟、并肩前行，共同开辟双方友好关系的新篇章，更好造福两国人民。作为中国大使，我愿继续以党的二十大精神为指引，为推动中马关系竭诚努力，相信在两国各界友好人士的共同努力下，中马关系将永续向前，不断迈上新高度。