The Malawi Government has called for smarter and more strategic Chinese investment. Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda emphasized the need for high-impact projects that create jobs and strengthen local production.
Speaking at the Lunar New Year celebrations in Lilongwe, Chaponda reaffirmed that relations between Malawi and China remain strong, while encouraging the Chinese community to contribute to Malawi’s economic growth.
“It is a recognition of the enduring friendship and growing economic partnership between Malawi and China. But we must move from more trade to smarter investment that strengthens Malawi’s productive capacity and creates decent jobs for Malawians,” Chaponda said.
Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Lu Xu described the New Year as a fresh chapter in bilateral relations.
“Starting from today, we open a new chapter for our bilateral relationship that will look at supporting key sectors of Malawi’s economy,” she said.
A member of the Chinese business community Junming Jianping of HongTal Investment Group said investors are considering major projects in logistics and manufacturing.
“For the logistics project, we are looking at about 15 million US dollars over four to five years,” he said, adding that broader investments could reach 500 million dollars in the coming years.
During the ceremony the HongTal Investment Group donated 150 million to assist in the needy through Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA).
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