Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Long Zhou (L) and Malawian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo jointly cut a cake during the celebration of 15 years of bilateral ties between the two countries in Lilongwe, Malawi, Dec. 8, 2022. The Chinese and Malawian governments have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of the two countries. (Photo by Joseph Mizere/Xinhua)
LILONGWE, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese and Malawian governments have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Long Zhou and Malawian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo made the commitment on Thursday during the celebration of 15 years of bilateral ties.
The Chinese ambassador said his government was committed to mutually beneficial coexistence between the two countries, especially in the areas of development, cultural exchanges, and political trust.
He said China has always remained committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding global peace and promoting development, as affirmed by the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
China was dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future, he said.
He called for political mutual trust between the two countries, saying it was the premise for development, and consolidating the trust was conducive to stability and long-term development of bilateral relations.
"We believe that the Malawian government will continue to abide by its commitment to the one-China principle and maintain the political foundations of China-Malawi relations," he said.
According to him, 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.
The Chinese ambassador said China has initiated a number of projects over the past 15 years of its cooperation with Malawi, among them the Malawi Parliament Building, the Malawi University of Science and Technology, the Karonga-Chitipa road, the Malawi International Conference Center and Business Hotel, and the Bingu National Stadium.
Furthermore, the National Fiber Backbone Project Phase I and II also were provided by the Chinese Government.
"In August this year, the two countries signed agreements on three cooperation projects, including maintenance of the Parliament Building, feasibility study on the Judicial Complex and granting Zero Tariff Treatment to Products under 98 Percent of Taxable Items of Malawi, bringing new vitality into China-Malawi practical cooperation," he said.
He added that China has also deployed 150 medical doctors in nine batches to Malawi's health sector, with more than 88,100 local patients being treated.
On her part, the Malawian minister appreciated China's contribution to her country's infrastructure development, saying she looked forward to continued peaceful and mutually beneficial coexistence between the two countries.
"The Chinese have been very supportive of our development in various sectors; as we celebrate the 15 years of cordial relations, we pray and hope that more developments will come," She said. ■
