BEIJING: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with his Malawian counterpart Elsenhower Mkaka. Wang congratulated Malawi on the holding of the presidential election and the formation of a new government, noting that the Chinese and African people are brothers and sisters, and their traditional friendship has grown stronger over time.
The formation of Malawi’s new government marks a new starting point for bilateral relations, Wang said, adding that China will continue to firmly support Malawi in independently exploring a development path that suits its national conditions, and deepen cooperation with Malawi in the fields of development assistance, investment and financing, health care, education and culture.
Noting that China and Malawi are both developing countries, Wang said that the two countries should unite more closely, firmly safeguard multilateralism and the common interests of developing countries. Wang said that China appreciates Malawi’s consistent and firm implementation of its commitments to the Taiwan question, and believes Malawi will continue to abide by the one-China principle and support the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the great cause of China’s peaceful reunification with concrete actions.
Wang said that both China and African countries are faced with the arduous task of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, stabilizing the economy and ensuring people’s livelihood.
China will continue to prioritize supporting Africa in international cooperation against the pandemic, accelerate the implementation of the outcomes of the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19, and work with the international community to help Africa defeat the pandemic, he said.
Wang noted that the Chinese side will continue to provide Malawi with anti-epidemic materials and aid, and actively carry out cooperation in diagnosis, treatment and vaccine.
China and Malawi should speed up the resumption of work and production of cooperative projects to help the post-pandemic economic reconstruction and social development of Malawi, he added.
Mkaka thanked China for its support and assistance to Malawi’s economic and social development as well as the fight against the pandemic. Noting that Malawi made the right choice to establish diplomatic relations with China in 2007, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations, Mkaka said that Malawi’s new government cherishes its relations with China and will firmly uphold a friendly policy towards China.
Mkaka said no matter what kind of international situation it faces, Malawi will continue to firmly support the one-China principle because respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is a basic norm of international relations. – Agencies
