Newly appointed Malawian Foreign Affairs Minister George Chaponda has said that China’s decades of rapid economic growth offer valuable lessons for Malawi and other developing nations in their development.
Chaponda made the remarks on Wednesday in Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, during celebrations marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
“We can learn that through hard work, discipline, focus, zero corruption, we can benefit and develop,” said Chaponda, adding that “Malawi can really come out of poverty by improving the capacity of the agriculture sector, and the Chinese government has demonstrated this by establishing an agriculture center here in Lilongwe, where local farmers learn various technologies.”
He noted that China continues to serve as a driving force in global development, particularly through various initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Through these frameworks, he said, China demonstrates unwavering solidarity with developing countries and contributes meaningfully to global development under the South-South Cooperation framework.
Chaponda commended China for its consistent support to Malawi over the years in sectors including transport, health, education, and agriculture.
“The latest support from China includes the completed dualization and rehabilitation of the M1 Road from Mchinji Roundabout to Kanengo Turnoff. This has significantly enhanced connectivity and trade along Malawi’s north-south economic corridor, contributing directly to economic growth and regional integration,” said Chaponda.
He also expressed gratitude for the 20 million U.S. dollars in debt relief recently announced by the Chinese government, as well as for its food aid and fertilizer support following President Peter Mutharika’s declaration of a state of disaster in 11 districts.
For her part, Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Lu Xu reaffirmed the Chinese government’s continued support to Malawi, emphasizing that China’s assistance will come as “empowerment.”
“We shall provide not only grain, but also the tools to build your own breadbasket,” she said. “The day will come when Malawi, too, shall hold its food security in its own hands.”
She added that China will also assist Malawi in developing the solar energy industry, saying that China’s technological advancements in the sector could serve as Malawi’s “bridge to industrialization.”
